Hollywood and Michaela's Story
by alaarakk
Summary: This is the story behind Hollywood. He's made Top Gun training, has a wife and a past that is starting to catch up to him. Just one of many in my Dating An Instructor series.
1. Chapter 1

This story is dedicated to Iresol whose Ranger story forms the basis of this one. They are very similar but with different characters and her's take place in the Army where as mine is Navy. I have borrowed Sarah MacKenzie from JAG but have injected her into civillian life. I do not own her or Hollywood, Cowboy, Iceman, Slider and Maverick. I do own Michaela, Morganson, Michaels and Lee. If you enjoyed Iresol's Ranger story I hope you will enjoy this somewhat different version of the same thing.

Chapter One

"Ms MacKenzie, a Mr. Morganson is here." Rebecca announced through the intercom on Sarah's desk.

"Thank you Rebecca, please show him in," Sarah answered. She closed the file she was working through and filed it in the cabinet behind her. The office door opened as she slid the draw shut.

She turned to see a fancy badge held in front of a man in an expensive suit. He was average height, average build with average hair color, in other words there was nothing remarkable about him.

Sarah ignored the badge and re-took her seat. He wasn't FBI or CIA; he wasn't dressed in black suit with a white shirt. "Take a seat Mr. Morganson," She smiled politely and indicated the seat in front of her desk. He laid the ID down in the middle of her desk and took the seat. The words Australian Federal Police leapt out at her.

"You're a long way from home Mr. Morganson," She stated by way of opening the conversation.

"Yes Ma'am and so are you if intelligence is anything to go by."

Sarah smiled briefly and pulled a notepad towards her. She noted down the ID number to be checked later. "How can I help you?"

"Two weeks ago a young girl's body was found in the Murrumbidgee River, dismembered and stored in a series of drums in a cave. You've probably heard about the flooding recently?" Sarah nodded in answer. It had actually made the US news which was most unusual. "We believe the high water dislodged the drums and they were found by a farmer. The girl was ten year old Melanie Mason, severely beaten, assaulted and raped."

"What does this have to do with me?" Sarah interrupted slightly impatiently. She didn't need gruesome details.

"We picked her step-father up and he admitted to the rape, assault and beatings, however, he made it clear that his older daughter, Laura was the one who slit her sister's throat."

"Lovely," Sarah grimaced.

"The weapon used was her step- father's knife, while the prints found on the knife were that of her sister, Laura. Laura was fifteen at the time of her death." Mr. Morganson took a photo out of a file and passed it over to her. Two pretty blonde haired, blue eyed girls stared back at Sarah, school photos. "So far we've been able to work out that Laura ran away the night of Melanie's death and left the country, sometime later. When? We aren't exactly sure yet. We also believe she had some help, a young man by the name of Bryce Parker who lived across the road from her. Apparently they used to hang out together. We believe the pair entered the United States under a different identity and that Bryce joined the Navy. We believe he and the girl are still together and currently residing on Miramar Naval Air Base."

"Well if they are Mr. Morganson, I can assure you I can't help, that area is out of my jurisdiction. It's up to NCIS to find them, if that is what you're asking?" Sarah questioned in a bit of an acid tone.

"Yes Ms MacKenzie we do realize this but seeing as how you still have several contacts on base, we had hoped, as a fellow countrymen, you'd be willing to help us out. We are well aware that if NCIS start asking questions the couple may go to ground. If you are asking questions, it looks a lot less suspicious."

"Are you asking me to spy on someone who was involved in a twelve year old murder?"

"No Ma'am, I'm asking you to help us locate this girl and her boyfriend. You are familiar with the Australian accent and we feel this could help us locate her. A judge has issued an extradition order for them and we'd like your help in seeing that it's carried out. They need to attend court in three months time."

"Do you have a picture of the boy?" Mr. Morganson passed it over and she glanced at it. "You said they were traveling under different names? Do you know what their names happen to be?"

"No, we are still trying to find that out. As soon as I know, I'll let you know."

"Of course," Sarah nodded making some notes on her notepad.

"Any costs etc will be of course re-imbursed by the Australian Federal Government."

"Of course," Sarah answered like it was of no consequence. She was well practiced in keeping a straight face and not revealing anything. "You do realize that if they are on the navy base and they get wind of this, they'll close ranks and you won't be able to get a dammed thing out of them?"

"Yes Ma'am, this was where we thought perhaps you could befriend them and maybe smooth the way for them. They've got to be scared."

"Hell if I committed a murder I'd be scared too." Sarah leant back in her chair thoughtfully, "What exactly do you want me to do here?"

"Find the couple and hand them over to us for extradition back to Australia to stand trial for murder." He handed her the court order requesting extradition. Sarah sighed, the extradition order had been issued by the Supreme Court and she was duty bound to honor it. She put it aside for the moment, "Mr. Morganson, I am not a private investigator, I am a lawyer."

"Yes Ma'am, but seeing as how you are Australian and you used to work on the base with the navy; we thought you'd be the perfect choice. Discreet, subtle and quick is what we need and my bosses believe you're it."

"Wonderful," She muttered sarcastically. "Well if it helps put another criminal away I guess I have nothing to loose do I?"

"No Ma'am." Mr. Morganson smiled.

"Alright, let me have your contact details and I'll see what I can do. My fee is $450.00 per hour, I trust that is okay with the Australian Government?"

"It will be fine Ms MacKenzie."

Mr. Morganson left fifteen minutes later after giving her forensic reports and the information they had on Laura Mason and Bryce Parker. Sarah was thoughtful for a moment, how hard could it be to find two Aussies on a US Military base? Their voices alone would stand out like sore thumbs.

The Lieutenant knocked on his CO's door and took a deep breath. He hated this part, when he moved base, but the CO had to know, should anything happen. So far all his CO's had been pretty good about the situation and so helpful but it always made him nervous when he had to confront a new CO. It was worse when he was out on ship and his wife was left all alone for months at a time in some dingy flat on a strange base but, he had to hand it to her, she was getting good at handling things.

"Enter," The CO's voice called.

The Lieutenant turned the knob and stepped inside, he gave the CO a salute, "Good afternoon Sir, I was wondering if I may have a word?"

"Certainly Lieutenant, take a seat. How's the training going?"

"Very good sir."

"Excellent, now what can I help you with?" The Commander put his pen down and leaned back in his chair, hands folded across his taught middle, and waited for the story he already knew, to be told. The Lieutenant was one of the best in the country and his background had been well researched and passed from post to post as he moved around, his file stamped classified. The fact that he was one of the best was what kept him in the service.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Michaela?" Hollywood called as he let himself into the two bedroom unit in the officer's quarters.

"Right here," Michaela smiled at him glancing over her shoulder. She stood at the dining room table looking down at a water colour that she had finished.

"Hey beautiful," He slid his arms around her from behind and she leaned back into them enjoying the embrace and the comfort that came with it. He slipped his hat off and onto the table before dropping a kiss on the side of her neck. "These are looking good."

"Yeah, they aren't bad. So how was class today?"

"Heavy, I get the new partner tomorrow." He let her go, playfully swatted her curvy behind as she walked into the kitchen to make them coffee.

"Good thing I got his room ready then, do you know who it is?"

"Joshua Robertson, call sign Cowboy."

"Ooooohhh sounds like a wild one." She winked at him.

"Calm down you, you're a married lady now."

"So one can look, can't they? I know you do."

"Only at you." He handed her a cup of steaming hot coffee and dropped a gentle kiss on her lips. "Oh the CO's wife, Karen, will call on you sometime tomorrow too."

"I imagine that's the annual check up visit to see if I make the grade as a navy wife?"

"Something like that."

She left the water colour on the table and joined her husband on the lounge, nestling into his side where she belonged. He slipped his arm around her shoulders.

"You okay?" Hollywood asked her.

"Yeah." They had been on base three days.

"Finding your way around okay?"

"Yeah."

"Good." He sipped his coffee.

She slid her coffee mug onto the coffee table and laid her head back against his shoulder so she could look at him.

"Stop worrying, I'm fine."

"Can't help it."

"Don't you have some studying to do?"

"In a minute," he slid his coffee cup onto the coffee table. "First of all I want some time with my wife." He slid his fingers down the side of her neck making her skin tingle a little. It was strange how she couldn't stand anyone else to touch her but when it came to Hollywood, she found she looked forward to it. Michaela lay back in his arms and stared into his sparkling blue eyes.

He tugged lightly at her ponytail and she sat up while he pulled the band out that held the hair. He loved her hair down, curling loosely over her shoulders like spun gold. Once he had it loose he pulled her back into his arms for more kissing. His fingers rested lightly on her stomach where he traced little circles with his fingers. That's as far as he would go unless she gave him the word. In the whole time they had been together he had never, pressured her for anything and that was the best feeling in the whole wide world.

Red. It was red. There was red everywhere. Michaela was swimming through red. It was in her hair, her eyes, her clothes. She couldn't breathe. She didn't know how. The cold ice started building up around her heart and she started to scream. Soundless noises. She was stuck. She couldn't move, her hands bound. It was a dream, it was all a dream, She had to wake up. She had too.

Michaela sat up suddenly gasping for breath, sweat dripping off her. She trembled all over, cold and clammy.

"Michaela?" Hollywood laid a hand on his wife's shoulder and she screamed. She screamed and screamed until he clamped a hand over her mouth, frightened she'd wake the whole floor. Calmly he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. She started to calm down and bit down hard on his hand trying to stop the all too familiar tears from flowing more.

"Ow! I really wish you wouldn't do that after those nightmares." Michaela let go of his hand but continued to sob in his arms. "Sssshhhhh, you're safe now." He whispered in her ear, smoothing the damp hair back off her face. He pulled her back down beside him and wrapped his strong arms around her holding tight.

Once Michaela was safe in his arms, she knew nothing could hurt her and quickly the tears subsided. She lay there tracing the muscle definition of his chest and shoulders, inhaling his scent like it were the best drug in the world. To her it was. Hollywood was her security and protector. She had nothing to fear when he was beside her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

It was 8.30 the next morning when someone knocked on the door of there unit. Hollywood was long gone; he had to be in class by seven. Michaela was looking over the water colour she had done the day before.

She slid the coffee cup onto the table and walked over to the door. Peeping through the peephole she saw a strange man in an officer's uniform.

"Who is it?" She called out nervously.

"It's Cowboy; I'm looking for Rick O'Neil."

"He's not here, he's in class." She made no attempt to open the door.

"I know that Ma'am, he sent me over to drop my stuff off.-"

"Cowboy what are you doing?" She heard a female voice that she didn't recognize.

"Hey Karen, you following me now?"

"Not at all, it just so happens we were headed to the same place, which Tom neglected to tell you."

"If I had have known I would have waited for you."

"Sure you would have. Michaela?" The girl knocked on the door. "Michaela, I'm Karen Crofts, Tom's wife. Did Hollywood tell you I was coming by?"

"Yes," Michaela undid the locks, "Come in." She held the door open for them. "Sorry about the caution, I've had a few bad experiences on other bases and I'm a bit nervous with people I don't know."

"That's quite understandable." Karen reached out to pat the girl's arm but she took a quick step backwards. She had become quite adept at dodging any form of touching from strangers. "This is Cowboy, Lieutenant Robertson, Hollywood's new flight partner and your new flatmate." Karen introduced the guy in the officer's uniform.

"Nice to meet you Cowboy, your room's through here and is already for you." Michaela showed him the room.

"Thanks Michaela." He stowed his bag and was gone again to catch up with his new partner and the rest of the class.

"So how are you settling in?" Karen asked as she closed the door and re-locked it. She stood at the table looking at the water colour. "Is this yours? It's very good."

"Thank you and I'm settling in quite nicely. Coffee?"

"Oh no too early in the morning for me, you got any juice?"

"Apple okay?"

"Are you an artist?"

"No," Michaela shook her head, "It's just a hobby, it keeps me busy during the day."

"Well, we'll soon change that, starting with lunch tomorrow."

"Oh no that's okay; I've got things to do." Michaela gave Karen a genuine smile, not wanting her to think she wasn't interested. "Maybe some other time."

"So how long have you and Rick been married?" She changed the subject.

"Ten years, we married straight out of school."

"That young?"

"Yeap, that young. I've known him forever, so it was a natural step as soon as we graduated."

"Sounds like Tom and I but we waited until I finished college and married a year later. What are you up to on Saturday?"

"I don't know yet why?"

"Why don't you and Hollywood come over for a BBQ and get to know some of the other wives and girlfriends?"

Michaela nodded thoughtfully, "I'll see what Rick wants to do and let you know."

"That's great. If you need anything just let me know won't you?"

"Sure." She followed Karen to the door and undid the locks.

"Well we'll hopefully see you on Saturday. Bye!"

"Bye Karen." She locked the door behind her and slid to the floor in relief. Michaela seriously hated dealing with people. Her therapist assured her many years ago that it would change but so far it hadn't.

"Thomas, how are you?" Sarah breezed into his office with the confidence of a whirlwind. She wanted something and he knew it.

"Hello Sarah, which poor scoundrel have you come to haul off to jail this time?" The last time she had come out to see him she had to arrest one of his junior officer's wives for fraud.

"None, this time I'm looking for someone. Two Australians, word has it that they are living on the base."

"Names, or do you want me to look in my crystal ball and say 'yes I know them'" he gave her an indulgent smile.

"Something like that, any Aussies around at present?"

"Just the one, Lieutenant O'Neil and his lovely wife, Michaela, but if you've done your homework like you always do, you'd know this."

"Now, now Thomas, don't be smart or I'll boycott Karen's little BBQ on Saturday."

"I'll tell you anything you want just don't do that." He smiled at their little game.

Sarah laughed, she and Tom were old friends from when she had worked on base many years ago. "The Australian Federal Police are looking for them and there is an extradition order signed by the Australian Supreme Court. I know these photos are twelve years old but that's all we have. As soon as I have names I'll let you know." She slid the photo's over to him.

"Sarah," Tom sighed, "You and I both know this is a large base. Looking for anyone here is like looking for a needle in a haystack and well, I can tell you right now these photos are not the slightest bit helpful. Besides I thought you were a lawyer, not an investigator?"

"I tripled my fee and they still want to pay me so I may as well make some money out of it."

"And you were hoping I'd make it easier for you?"

"Uh huh."

"What have they done?"

"From what I know the girl, Laura, is wanted for the murder of her sister and they believe the guy, Bryce, maybe a witness or accomplice. The girl's body was found and her step-father admitted to raping and beating her, but told investigators that it was his eldest daughter who had killed her."

"Well if I hear of anything, I'll let you know. By the way have a chat to Karen, if anyone knows anything about this, she will."

"So this Lieutenant and his wife, how long have you known them?"

"About a week now. The Lieutenant is going through Top Gun training, very promising career ahead of him I'd say."

"Do you know anything about them?"

"Nope other than what's in the file. They married young, straight out of school. Families are rich and moved the kids overhear when they were twelve, apparently something about the education being better. That's as much as I know." Tom smiled sweetly.

Sarah muttered to herself, 'And that's about as much as you're going to tell me.' Tom's smile sweetened up some more as he read her mind. "If I come across them, I'll let you know."

Sarah nodded knowing she wasn't going to get anything out of him which meant two things one, he didn't know anything or two, he knew more than what he was allowed to say. She could almost bet her life on it that he knew something so it was looking like Karen's BBQ wasn't such a bad idea after all. The co-incidence of an Australian couple showing up at the same time as the AFP was suspicious enough in itself. She'd run background and security checks on them as soon as she got back to the office. Mind you, Navy Officers were pretty respectable people so the chances of them being runaways or murderers were highly unlikely. The Navy wouldn't have taken him if that was the case.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Michaela you ready?" Hollywood called outside the bathroom door. He and Cowboy were ready to go to the BBQ but Michaela held them up.

"I'm not going." She called back tearful.

"Cowboy why don't you go on, we'll be there as soon as we can."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine, people make her nervous."

"No worries see you over there."

Cowboy left the apartment. He had been there three days already and was proving a saint. He didn't ask questions about the massive amount of scarring he had seen on Michaela, and he sensed the couple were appreciative of that, besides Michaela struck him as the kid sister that badly needed looking after.

Hollywood was glad he had him for a partner.

"Michaela?" Hollywood called again.

"What?"

"Can I come in?" Michaela reached over and unlocked the door. "What's the matter?" Hollywood asked settling his cute ass on the corner of the vanity.

She tugged at the long sleeve shirt she was wearing and looked at her husband. "Look at me, it's boiling outside and I'm covered up like a-a-a tomato."

"Well put a T-Shirt on."

"Rick it's not that easy. You know everyone will stare if I do that."

"Come here," he grabbed the waistband of her jeans and pulled her in close, trapping her between his legs. "I don't care if anyone stares, you're still beautiful and you're still my wife. Let them stare."

"Rick you know what will happen if we do that, you'll get arrested for abusing me and I'll have to play twenty questions."

"I have an idea," Hollywood jumped up and left the bathroom, her hand in his, he led her through to the kitchen. He opened a drawer and took out a pair of scissors.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll see." He grabbed the bottom of her shirt and started cutting it off just below the midriff, tossing it aside. He handed her a needle and some cotton. "Thread that and I'll be right back."

Michaela felt a little strange in the cut-off shirt but did as she was told. When he emerged from their bedroom he held a piece of orange material which he expertly sewed onto the bottom of the cut off shirt. It revealed a rather large expanse of her stomach but no scarring. He tied the loose ends into a bow on one side.

"How's that? No visible scars, except this one and that's in a pretty normal spot for an appendectomy."

She reached up then and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him in gratitude. She didn't know how he did it but he always seemed to make things a thousand times better.

"You keep that up and we won't be going anywhere," Hollywood laughed breaking the kiss.

"Sorry, just saying thank you." She smiled as he pulled her in close, picking her up and twirling her around.

"You missy, are too cheeky for your own good. Let's go." He carried her outside before letting her down so he could lock the door.

They arrived at the BBQ half an hour later so things were in full swing. Michaela stuck to Hollywood's side and he kept his arm around her as they moved through the crowd. He introduced her to various classmates and instructors.

They found Cowboy standing by quietly eyeing off a pretty brunette who was chatting away earnestly to Karen.

"So you like to steal CO's wives?" Michaela asked Cowboy with a cheeky wink. She had left Hollywood chatting to a couple of classmates.

"Very funny," Cowboy smiled at her. "Actually it's the one talking to her."

"Do you want me to say she's pretty or something?"

Cowboy laughed, "No, I already know that. You don't know who she is?"

"Sorry, we've only been here a week but ask Hollywood he might know."

"Know what?" Hollywood asked joining them and slipping his arm around his wife's slender waist.

"Who the brunette is talking to Karen?" Michaela nodded in their direction.

"No I don't but I've seen her around the base, usually going into or out of Tom's office."

"I know it's his second wife." Michaela quipped and they all laughed.

"You got two wives Sanders?" A big bulky guy, who reminded Michaela of the hulk, joined them.

"Not yet. Slider this is my wife Michaela, Michaela this is Slider, another trainee."

Michaela could see his hand coming forward to shake hers and she quickly backed away. Hollywood took her hand instead and held it safe in his.

"Nice to meet you Slider." Michaela smiled. "Are you a pilot or navigator?"

"Navigator, where are they keeping the drinks Wood?" Slider asked.

"Honey you want a drink?" Hollywood asked.

"Please."

Hollywood and Slider wandered off to get drinks.

At that moment Karen turned and spotted Michaela through the crowd. She motioned the almost shy girl over to where she stood talking to the brunette.

Michaela looked at Cowboy, "Shall we?" She asked.

"Lead the way." Cowboy smiled and followed her over to the two girls.

"Michaela, I'm so pleased you could make it. This is a very good friend of mine, Sarah MacKenzie, she's Australian too."

"I'm not Australian, Karen," Michaela interrupted before she went any further. "I am American, I just happen to have spent sometime in Australia during my childhood. I was born in Massachusetts."

"Oh I thought you were born over there?" Karen looked confused.

"No I was actually born over here but we moved when I was six, that's why I have a little bit of an accent."

"Well its nice to meet you Michaela, is this your husband?" Sarah asked.

"Oh no, this is Cowboy, my husband's flight partner. Hollywood is busy getting me a drink I hope. How long have you been living in the states?"

"Awhile now, time goes by so fast I forget half the time. I attended Harvard Law School so that's four years gone and I've been practicing for the past five years so nine years altogether."

"You're a lawyer?"

"Sure am."

"Do you do much work with the navy?"

"I used to work with them full time but when the tour was up I decided to go back to civilian life. I quite often represent civilian's caught up in navy life though, people like yourself."

"Sounds interesting."

"What do you do Cowboy?" Sarah turned to him with a pretty smile and Michaela could see Cowboy was mesmerized.

"I'm a Navigator."

"There you are," Hollywood came up and kissed Michaela on the temple before handing her a drink.

"You knew where I was," Michaela giggled, "He gets so forgetful when he's been talking. Hollywood, this is Sarah MacKenzie; she's from Australia too and is a lawyer."

"Nice to meet you Sarah, what part of Aus. are you from?"

"Sydney and you?"

"I was born in Melbourne."

"So how did you two meet?"

"Michaela's family moved in next door for eleven years. Our parent's became good friends and when they moved back here my family followed." Hollywood explained.

"Wow, so like you two have been together forever?"

"Yeah we have," Hollywood replied a bit impatiently and Michaela looked up at him startled. His eyes were tense. "Michaela, come and meet some of the guys who live on our floor, I have no doubt we'll be seeing them quite a bit."

"Sure, excuse me. Nice to meet you Sarah, maybe we could get together sometime soon." I let Hollywood lead me away.

"Nice couple," Sarah commented turning to Cowboy with her heart stopping smile. "Do you know much about them?"

"Other than the fact they adore each other, no. I've only been with them a couple of days. Harvard Law School? That's a pretty tough call for someone not American."

"It wasn't easy to get in either, believe me. I had to have near perfect scores in everything. Where are you from Cowboy?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Come on Laura, you have to get out of here." Bryce gently lifted her by her shoulders off the floor and into his arms. He tried hard not to hurt her but it was impossible, there was so many bruises and cuts on her. Her shoulder had been dislocated again and that had to hurt.

"No, not without Mel." Laura cried. "I can't leave Mel, she's only ten." Laura sobbed, pulling away from Bryce trying to reach her sister on the bed. Her actions covered Bryce's T-Shirt in blood from her wrists. They had been bound so tightly this time that the restraints had broken the skin.

Bryce glanced towards the bed where Laura's ten year old sister lay still bound to the bed rail, naked from the waist down. Blood still bubbling from her throat, the knife her step-father had used lay on the floor nearby. He could hear him in the shower next door. It would only be a matter of time before he finished up and then he would kill the lot of them. Bryce had to get her out of there and fast.

"Laura," he held her tight and pushed strands of the hacked short blonde hair back, another present from her step-father. He was careful not to touch the still raw cigarette burns on the top of her shoulders, a present from him, because she had been three minutes late home from school two days ago. He took her face in his hands and barely recognized it under the bruising, swelling and blood. "Mel's not coming with us," he told her in a voice that spoke volumes.

Laura looked up at him then, one black eye swollen shut, the other one rapidly following. Her bloodied lip trembled as she looked across to the bed in her sister's room. Bryce quickly pulled her into his arms and pushed her face deep into his shoulder so she wouldn't make a sound. If her step-father caught him in here with her, they both would wind up the same way as her sister. Slowly he drew her soundlessly across the rubble of her sister's bedroom towards the door.

Suddenly she pulled away from him, "Wait, I have to do something."

"Laura we haven't got the time-"

"No I have too, just so he knows I know." She pulled out of his arms and picked up the bloodied knife that lay on top of her little sister's panties. Bryce heard the shower turn off and started to say his prayers.

"Laura, come on!" He hissed almost soundlessly.

Suddenly with great force she stabbed the knife downwards and into the mattress beside her sister's body. Tears poured down her face and she said a quick silent prayer, before turning and letting Bryce lead her out and away from the place that she had called hell.

It was three am and they were camped in an old disused warehouse near the docks. Bryce had found it the other morning when he was walking home from his job on the trawler. He was sixteen and worked a forty hour week.

Laura sat beside him huddled in close, shivering and in pain from her shoulder. He couldn't do anything about that and that cut him up bad but he knew someone on the cargo ship would know how to fix it, those people knew how to fix everything. They sat there and waited for a whistle.

Both of them knowing what it was like to wait.

Waiting for help that never came.

Waiting for a drunken mother to come home with another boyfriend.

Waiting for Bryce to get the money together they needed to get out of there.

Waiting, waiting, waiting for things that never came.

Bryce had been twelve when he and his Mum had moved into the house across the road. His Mum was never home and Bryce had raised himself from the age of eight, far too young in his mind. No child should live like that. He had first seen Laura taking her sister to school and had been fascinated by her.

She lived in an apartment building across the street, on the ground floor, and he watched her coming and going. Some nights he could hear screaming and thuds that clearly indicated a fight in progress. Other nights he heard sounds that he couldn't identify but they chilled him to the bone. On those nights, Laura wasn't at school the next day.

He did work up the courage to creep across the road and peek in windows and that was how he had come to find her bedroom and the truth of what happened to the pretty little blonde with the haunted eyes.

She always left her bedroom window open; she would not sleep with it closed. It gave her some hope that a passerby might here what was happening and rescue her but it never happened.

The previous night Laura had made dinner, as she did every night. She had made her father's favorite, Beef stew. She had given Melanie hers with some bread and butter. Melanie sat quietly at the kitchen table eating when they heard the front door slam. Quickly Mel hopped down and scurried into a corner with her plate. She wasn't supposed to sit at the table to eat, she had to sit on the floor in a corner and eat like the family dog.

Laura put a plate down in her father's place as he stumbled into his seat. His eyes held a wild look which meant he was high on Cocaine. He looked at the dinner she had set down, picked it up and threw it at her. She ducked.

"What the hell is this slop? When you going to learn to cook decently?" He reached out and grabbed her wrists, Laura knew better than to run. He pulled her across his lap, yanked her jeans down without undoing them and stubbed his cigarette out on her buttocks. Laura screamed and her father laughed, pushing her away. "Sit on the floor and eat with the dog!" Laura crawled into the corner and gingerly sat beside Melanie, the girl looked at her wide-eyed but didn't say a word, it was a normal occurrence for their house.

When Laura went to her room that night it had been totally trashed. Everything had been pulled out and thrown everywhere, not that she owned much. The book case she had rescued from a council dump lay broken and splintered, smashed with her step-father's sledge hammer no doubt.

Laura didn't bother cleaning up; she knew it would only anger him more. Instead she sat on the side of the bed and waited for what was coming.

As she heard his footsteps coming along the hall she started working on shutting herself in that little room with the black curtains where she would feel nothing, see nothing and hear nothing. In that little room she ceased to exist. She started to chant, the chant that kept her going, 'look after your sister.' By the time she counted to five million it was all over and she lay there in the dark staring out the window wondering how long it would be before he killed her and Melanie.

She had ceased screaming a long time ago, no one came, no one heard her or if they did they ignored it or didn't want to get involved. She turned towards the window, cold. Her father had taken all her blankets leaving her to sleep with nothing. The window was open giving her hope that one day it would lead to freedom.

Suddenly she sat up; staring in at her was a boy's face. It was Bryce come to comfort her. The expression on his face was never one of pity, horror or sadness, only concern. Wordlessly he climbed through the window, wrapped his arms around her and held her. Without a sound she cried like there was no tomorrow.

Bryce was her best friend and as soon as he turned fifteen he had left school and started work on the fishing trawlers. He was determined to save enough money so he could take the pretty blonde and her sister away from the place she called hell. After 18 months of working hard he was very close to having the amount they needed.

He made friends with other seamen and many of the workers on cargo ships. One guy was an ex-navy seal and he was the one who organized passage on a ship taking them away from it all.

Bryce and Laura were racing against time as she wanted to leave before Laura's tenth birthday. The day Melanie turned ten was the day the little girl lost her innocence and Laura didn't want that to happen to her.

Laura was absolutely beside herself with worry for her little sister because she knew what would happen that night. She made Bryce promise faithfully to stay outside her sister's window and as soon as she could she'd sneak her out she would but it never happened. Laura got caught and he dislocated her shoulder while she tried to protect Mel. Melanie got her tenth birthday present and Laura dived on him as he pounded into her. Her father swept her off him with one swipe of his arm. Laura hit the wall and lay there like a broken doll.

Her father laughed, Melanie screamed and her father slit her throat.

A whistle broke through his horrific thoughts and he answered back with a different whistle as the guy had taught him to do. Laura had fallen asleep beside him.

Tactical slipped in through the grafted door. He was big and muscly and Bryce called him a rock. He was an ex-navy seal who had taken the boy under his wing. He liked the kid; he was a good hard worker with more motivation than most adults put together. His heart ached for the little broken doll curled up at the boy's side, his face showed no emotion.

"Hey Bryce, how you going?" Tactical squatted down and ruffled his hair. It had taken Bryce a long time to accept the affection Tactical displayed.

"This is Laura, her shoulders broken again."

"No worries, we'll fix her up good as new. No little sister?"

Bryce shook his head wordlessly, he couldn't speak about what he had seen happen to Melanie, he doubted he ever would.

"No problem, you ready?"

Bryce nodded and was about to wake Laura but Tactical stopped him. "Let her sleep," he stated, bending down and scooping up the broken doll in his arms. Inside his anger was burning and burning bright. He hated people who abused children and this was one little girl who had had more than her fair share of abuse.

He got them on board and settled down in his little cabin. While the first aid guy fixed Laura up and gave her something to help with the pain Tactical took Bryce down and introduced him to the Captain. Bryce would be a general hand and Laura was to be the cook. They would work their passage across to the United States of America where Tactical promised them new identities and a whole new life.

Once the ship started to move, Bryce and Laura both started to relax. When they docked six months later in San Francisco, Bryce Parker and Laura Mason did not exist. No one had heard of them nor had they seen them on board. They had simply disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Michaela allowed herself a little giggle as she laid the cards down and cleaned the boys out. "Full house."

"Oh man! I was sure you had less than that." Cowboy sighed and threw his cards down. "Well that puts me out, how are you doing Wood?"

"About the same as you, did I warn you not to play poker with my wife?" Hollywood laughed and got up to get another beer.

Sarah watched amused, she had folded early in that round but now it was just her and Michaela. "Okay Michaela let's show them how it's really done." Sarah picked up the cards and started shuffling. Cowboy leaned back and stretched in his chair, a loose arm slung across the back of Sarah's.

"Who taught you to play poker?" Cowboy asked, "You're good."

Michaela smiled and received a wink off Hollywood, to her it was a message and she understood it well. "My Dad did, he played poker every Saturday night with friends so he was pretty good at it."

"Obviously, you got another one of those?" Cowboy got up from his seat and accepted a beer off his partner.

"There you go, now let's watch the ladies in action."

"I'll drink to that." Cowboy and Hollywood clinked bottles and stood back as Sarah and Michaela went up against each other for the last round.

It was three in the morning and the two girls were about equal in piles of dimes. The BBQ had finished late afternoon so they returned to the unit for dinner and a round of Poker.

It had been a long time since Michaela had a friend as they tended to move base way too often.

Sarah dealt the cards and it got deathly quiet in the apartment as they concentrated. Michaela drew three cards while Sarah only drew two. They threw all their dimes in.

"Alright Sarah, show me what you've got?" Michaela asked.

"One straight, how about you?"

"Three of a kind, congratulations." Michaela laid the cards out.

"Michaela you are one tough opponent."

"Sarah you're a dammed hard person to read."

"That's why I'm a lawyer." She scraped the dimes into her purse.

"I'm just about to put some coffee on, would you like some?"

"No it's late enough, I'd best get home."

"I'll walk you to your car if you like," Cowboy offered nicely.

"Thank you that would be great. Listen if you guys would like to come over for a swim tomorrow, you're more than welcome?"

"We've got a bit to do tomorrow but maybe the boys might like too?" Michaela dodged around the answer.

"We'll keep it in mind, thanks." Hollywood replied and closed the door behind them. Michaela jumped up and threw herself into his arms. He lifted her up and she showered little kisses all over his face.

"Don't get too excited," Hollywood laughed, "There is only so much a man can take."

"Sorry." She backed off.

"Don't be sorry either, okay?"

"Okay," She replied as he brought her head down for a sweet and loving kiss.

He carried her through to the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed, divesting himself of his shirt. Settling beside her he pulled her in close for more kissing. She felt him loosen the orange tie that he had sewn on the bottom of her shirt and his hand slipped underneath to rest on her ribcage. Tracing a few of the old scars he found there.

Suddenly he yanked her shirt upwards and quickly kissed her between her breasts before quickly pulling her shirt down again. Michaela shrieked and giggled as the sudden movement caught her by surprise.

"Happy?" Hollywood asked looking at her seriously.

"Yes, I might have a new friend. Sarah seems nice."

"Just remember she's a civilian."

"I know."

"You know the risks if you go off base."

"Ssshhhhh," Michaela laid her fingers against his mouth to quieten him. "We'll be okay Rick, nothing's happened for a long time now, I'm sure we'll be fine."

Hollywood nodded in answer as he trailed kisses down over her wrists at the same time unbuttoning the shirt.

Outside in the dark Cowboy had Sarah pinned against her car with a sly grin. She had been teasing him something terrible with her killer smiles that blew all sanity right out the window, and now it was his turn.

"I'd like to see you again?" He whispered against her mouth.

"Come round tomorrow and you will." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"See you then." He kissed her quickly and hard before suddenly pulling away leaving her confused, stunned and aroused. He walked off into the dark heading back to the Officer's Quarters.

Her fingers instinctively touched her lips where only seconds before they had been on hers. She watched his broad back disappearing into the night wondering what had just happened. No guy had left her feeling like this before after only a few hours.

She drove home wondering how on earth she was going to sleep that night. Two hours later she sat outside wrapped in a blanket watching the sunrise. There wasn't any sleep happening for her that night.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"Come on Michaela out you come," Hollywood grabbed his wife's foot and dragged her down the bed and out the bottom. She landed in a heap on the floor at his feet, glaring at him.

"I'm not going," Michaela muttered, half angry, half fearful.

"Yes you are. You have to get over this fear of other people and besides you've been complaining about having no friends, now's your chance to make one."

"Last night you were warning me to be careful, now you don't want me to be careful?"

"No, I know you know how to be careful and that's wasn't what I was saying at all-"

"Then what were you saying?" She demanded crankily, still sitting on the floor at his feet.

"Just get dressed." He dumped her clothes on top of her head and turned to leave the bedroom.

"I will if you tell chirpy in there to shut up." Cowboy was in the shower, singing away, obviously happy.

"Oh let him have some fun, he likes this one."

"Yeah and so do you. I saw you looking at her."

"I was not!"

"You were so too!"

"Michaela!"

"Yes?"

"Quit being an annoying little brat and get dressed, we need to go shopping and get some food."

"Yes Sir!" She snapped him a mock salute and he rolled his eyes. He closed the door behind him with a firm click showing her how far she had managed to stir him. Michaela grinned to myself feeling rather pleased.

An hour later they were at the Supermarket and the two boys were having a great old time running up down the aisles with the shopping trolley. Michaela constantly got told what brands to buy and what size, sometimes it was like she was feeding an army not a couple of navy pilots. If they didn't like something they pulled it out and put it back on the shelves. Things were tossed from pilot to pilot before landing in the trolley and quite often the trolley was used as a basketball hoop, even the bread got slammed dunked. Michaela shuddered when Cowboy picked up a carton of eggs and tossed them to Hollywood.

They had to seriously look at getting a second shopping trolley when the two boys pulled all the coke off the shelves and tried to put it in theirs. The shopping trolley races intensified then and by the time they got to the checkout they were being watched very carefully. Customer complaints were exceedingly high that day and once outside Michaela banned them both from shopping with her ever again.

They dropped Michaela at Sarah's and went home to unpack the shopping. Sarah was in hysterics when Michaela finished telling her about the shopping expedition.

"I dread to think where everything is being put," Michaela moaned.

"That's okay, if they know where everything is then they can cook, can't they?"

"Are you kidding me? The first number that was entered into the phone when we arrived was the pizza guys."

"If you get desperate you can always come over here for dinner."

"Careful, I may just take you up on that."

"You are more than welcome." Sarah smiled warmly at her.

"With or without the children?"

Sarah laughed, "With, I imagine life wouldn't be too good for you if you left them at home."

"You've got that right."

They were seated out the back in sun loungers waiting for the boys to return. Sarah looked cool and relaxed in shorts and bikini top, while Michaela lay beside her in jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Sarah looked at her new friend and shook her head.

"Aren't you hot?" Sarah asked.

"No not at all, I'm quite comfortable actually."

"Okay, but I bet you'd like something cool to drink?"

Michaela laughed, "Yes I would thank you."

Sarah returned with a cold can of soda for her. They were chatting quietly when the boys arrived.

"Did you boys get lost?" Michaela asked as they let themselves in the side gate.

"No, Cowboy wanted to rearrange the cupboards." Hollywood shamelessly dumped his partner in hot water.

"You didn't did you?" Michaela looked at Cowboy through narrowed eyes.

"Michaela, would I do that to you? I've only just arrived; I don't want to get thrown out that quickly. Is that a beach down there?" Cowboy turned to Sarah changing the subject.

"Yes it is. It's not private but road access doesn't exist so all you really get is surfers and some rather enthusiastic walkers, so it's really quiet."

"Nice," Cowboy muttered and walked over to the back fence to take a closer look.

"Well I don't know about you guys but all this talk about beaches is making me mighty hot, anyone care to join me." Sarah stood up and stripped off her shorts before diving quite gracefully into the pool.

Cowboy stood by looking very impressed before diving in after her. It wasn't long before they were happily drowning each other.

"Hey beautiful, move over," Michaela scooted over on the sun lounger and Hollywood settled himself down beside her, wrapping his arms around her. "You okay?"

"I think so." She laid her head on his shoulder.

"You going to go in?"

"I think so."

"Want me to distract them while you slide into the water?" He leant down and rubbed his nose against hers.

"I don't think they'll need to be distracted, they are too intent on each other but yeah I might need you too."

Hollywood smiled and leaned down and kissed her softly, "That water is looking real good, let's go." Hollywood climbed out of the lounger and stripped off.

He turned and started chatting to Sarah and Cowboy effectively blocking all sight of Michaela from them.

She quickly shucked the clothing and slapped him affectionately on the backside giving him a gentle push at the same time. Hollywood took her hands, wrapped them around his waist and led her over to the edge of the pool.

Cowboy had hold of Sarah's ankle and was dragging her backwards through the pool making her laugh and swallow water.

"I reckon you should drown that nutter, Sarah," Hollywood called out cheekily.

"You're right Wood." Sarah flipped around and grabbed hold of him by the shoulders pushing him under.

While they were busy, Hollywood and Michaela slipped into the water. Her scarring wasn't so visible in the pool.

By four that afternoon they were all spread around in loungers enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun. Michaela had been the last one out of the water and Hollywood distracted Sarah and Cowboy while she got out, grabbed her clothes and ran inside to change. Sarah had looked at him quizzically and Hollywood shrugged.

"She's painfully shy when it comes to her body." Hollywood explained.

"Sarah, would you mind if I made myself a sandwich or something, I'm starving?" Michaela asked from the back door.

"Go right ahead, I was just coming in myself to make coffee."

Sarah followed Michaela inside and showed her where the bread and butter were kept. "Got any vegemite?"

"Actually I do, I import a couple of cases every few months so I never run out. It's like a connection to home."

"I know what you mean," Michaela answered as she reached for the jar on the bench, the sleeve of her shirt falling back to reveal some scarring. Michaela heard Sarah gasp and realized Sarah had full view of the scars and old burns. Quickly she pulled the sleeve back down and tried to do it up but she was too slow.

"Did Hollywood do this to you?" Sarah asked, grabbing her arm and pushing the sleeve aside. Sarah slipped into what Michaela later called lawyer mode. "You know there are places you can go to get help in this situation? I can give you the numbers of some of the services available to you on base?"

"They are old scars, Sarah and Hollywood didn't do this to me. He would never do that."

"Then how, maybe I can sue the mongrel for you?"

"You can't he's dead," Michaela replied with in a dead tone of voice.

"Oh Michaela, this is terrible," Sarah sighed.

"It's terrible because it happened or it's terrible because I have to live with it?" Michaela spoke sharply.

"It's terrible because it shouldn't have happened especially to such a nice person." The smile Sarah gave Michaela was genuine and Michaela felt herself starting to warm to her.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The boy was a hard worker; Tactical had to admire him as he watched him cleaning the decks with the high pressure fire hose. Suddenly the satellite phone clicked over and he could hear a ringing tone on the other end. A female voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Good morning my lovely."

"Tact! Where are you?"

"You know I can't tell you that," he teased her picturing her pretty face frowning in scorn at him.

"Tact you are not in the navy anymore," she stated annoyed with him.

He laughed, "We'll be sailing past the Cook Islands day after tomorrow, on our way to Hawaii. Should be in Seattle on the 15th of next month."

"I'll see if I can get some time off and meet you. It'll be like a second honeymoon."

"Sounds good to me. Is Dancer still crashed out on the living room floor?"

"Yeap, you want a word with him?"

"Yes thanks, honey."

"Tact you bludger, what time do you call this?" Tact had to smile when he heard his friend's voice on the other end.

"Lunchtime, you cooking or am I?" Tactical joked.

"I thought we'd let the wife do that."

"Whose wife?" Tactical growled in mock anger.

"Oh alright, you can have her back when you get home."

"How nice of you," Tactical answered sarcastically. "Listen I need a favor."

"Shoot, what's up?"

"You still got that CIA connection?"

"I can get it why?"

"Got two runaways on board, the girl's been severely abused and the boy seems alright other than he won't leave her."

"Ages?"

"15 and 17. They need to disappear completely if you know what I mean. They'll need documents."

"Gotcha, where are you docking next?"

"Hawaii on the 2nd of next month."

"Names?"

"Laura Mason and Bryce Parker."

"Right, see you in Hawaii. I may even bring my wife."

"Your wife?" He growled again in warning.

"Bye!" Dancer laughed and hung up the phone very quickly.

Tactical hung the phone up hearing his friend's laughter ringing through his ears.

"Well?" The ship's captain asked, well versed in helping others thanks to Tactical.

"All organized."

"Good, the boy's a hard worker." The captain nodded out the window, he too had been watching him.

"Yeah a little too hard sometimes, he really needs to lighten up and be a kid again."

"Plenty of time for that when he knows his girl is going to be safe. How is the little doll doing?"

"Fitting right in and the men are being really well behaved around her too."

"That's good. Does she know about the baby?"

"No not yet, I'm real hesitant to tell her."

"How about we do it together, sit both kids down and break the news etc."

"You sound like my wife."

"That's because my sister is a dammed good woman."

"Don't I know it. She's going to try and meet us in Seattle."

"Be good to see her again."

"You're telling me. When do you think we should break the news to them?"

"Tonight, after dinner. I've noticed the blokes retire early and give the kids the rec room. I've been dropping by a lot and chatting to them so that would be the best time."

"Okay, see you there then."

Tactical left the ship's bridge and went to give the boy a break, he worked too hard.

Laura finished tidying the kitchen thanks to Bryce's help. He always helped her clean up.

"You want a coke?" Laura asked as he hung up the dish cloth.

"Yeah."

Laura handed him a can and they wandered out to the Recreation Room where there was a couple of beat up old lounges to relax on. Both were quite used to walking around a constant moving ship, having been on board for six weeks now.

Cooking, for Laura, in the constantly moving kitchen had been quite a challenge at first but she'd gotten the hang of it pretty quickly. The men appreciated the hot meals and quite often complimented her on them, something she wasn't used too. Bryce reckoned they liked seeing her blush.

They settled down in the rec room with their cans of coke when Tactical and the Captain walked in. Laura instantly leapt to her feet and started back to the kitchen to make coffee for them.

"Laura sit down, its okay," Tactical, without thinking, took hold of her arm to stop her. Laura flinched violently and jumped, he instantly let go of her.

"Shoot, I'm sorry honey, I forgot. I'm sorry."

Bryce got up and wrapped his arms around her pulling her back down beside him on the lounge. She trembled from head to toe and she had to force herself to take some deep breaths to calm down. It was much easier when she was in Bryce's arms.

"You okay?" The captain looked at her carefully watching her face the whole time. Laura nodded. "Good, so how are you kids enjoying life at sea?" The Captain asked them.

"It's really nice, thanks sir," Bryce replied.

"Oh cut the sir crap, its captain okay?" He smiled reassuringly at the boy.

"Okay Captain."

"That's much better. Now, Laura, do you know much about babies and where they come from?"

She nodded and suddenly started looking scared. She pressed back against Bryce trying to disappear. He picked her hand up and held it tightly in his. They exchanged an apprehensive look when Laura found her voice, "You know?"

"Yes honey," Tactical answered honestly.

"I-I don't want it." She spoke clearly; the trembling started again.

"Laura, Choong down in engines has some stuff that can help you with that. It's pretty horrible and it will hurt but in a couple of days it'll all be over and the baby will be gone, that is if it's what you want to do?"

Laura nodded vehemently, "Please." She pleaded, silent tears trickling down her face.

"Alright, I'll have a word to Choong and we'll organize someone to take over your work for the next couple of days."

"You'll be with me won't you? You won't leave me?" Laura turned pleading eyes to Bryce.

"Its okay Bryce, we'll organize for your work to be covered also, so you can stay with Laura," The captain was quick to reassure the boy as he watched the confusion flicker across his face.

"Thank you Si-Captain." He quickly changed his words when he saw the admonishing look on the Captain's face.

"Tactical will also be around to help you through."

Laura nodded, her face buried in Bryce's chest, tears soaking his borrowed T-Shirt. Tactical and the Captain left them alone at that point to absorb the information.

The next morning Laura was confined to her cabin and given an awful smelling muddy drink. Within an hour the pain started and it hurt. She cried and screamed while Bryce sat patiently beside her holding her close and mopping the sweat from her brow. Tactical brought her a hot compress to put on her stomach which helped. The night was long for both of them. Towards the end of the second day, the pain subsided and the baby was gone. Laura was back on her feet the following day and life on the cargo ship resumed as normal for them. Laura completely blanked out the memory of miscarrying.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Hollywood twirled Michaela around for the fifth time before pulling her in close. She laughed as she clung to her husband, dizzy. "Stop! You're going to make me sick." Michaela cried.

It was Saturday night and they were at the Officer's Club enjoying a night out dancing. It had taken a lot of work on Hollywood's part to convince Michaela to go, seeing as how she hated crowds but eventually she had given in. He could be very persuasive when he wanted to be.

The music died and Hollywood took her hand leading her back to the table. She moved in close to him and he wrapped an arm around her waist keeping her safe. They reached the table and Hollywood sank into the empty seat next to Cowboy pulling Michaela down on his knee.

"Where's the goddess?" Hollywood asked his partner.

"Circulating here somewhere. She's catching up with some client's and saying hi to a couple of friends." Cowboy replied. "You look hot Michaela, I'm about to go to the bar if you want a drink?"

"Love one, thanks Cowboy." She gave him a relieved smile, he knew what she drank. Her worst nightmare was going to the bar as there were way too many people around for her to be comfortable. As it was Lee when laid a hand on her shoulder she jumped.

"Can I steal the wife for a dance Hollywood?" Lee, another trainee, ignored her jumpiness. All the trainee's had gotten used to it and were careful not to frighten her further.

"As long as you bring her back to me."

"No sweat, would you like to dance Michaela?" She nodded, nervously and Lee whispered in her ear, "Don't worry I'll look after you."

She took his hand and let him lead her back onto the dance floor. Two songs later Iceman cut in on them followed by a few of the others. It was a good hour or more before she was returned to her husband and a badly needed drink.

Michaela had gotten used to the other trainees, as they spent numerous hours in their apartment, watching TV, annoying the boys, raiding the fridge or going through difficult flight exercises. It wasn't unusual for her to wake up in the morning and find model airplanes set up in all manner of positions. The top floor of the officer's quarters was like a big dormitory with everyone's living rooms and kitchen's designated common rooms. Not a single one of them asked about the scars she carried.

Sarah was getting frustrated. She had been circling the room most of the night gleaming information out of anyone willing to talk to her. So far she had found out there were six Australian couples living and working on Miramar Air Base, seven including Hollywood and Michaela. She noted their names for background and security checks on Monday.

Four of the men were out on ship, one was in communications and the sixth one was a mechanic. Out of the four on ship, three were seamen and the other one was an officer.

Finally she stopped and looked at her watch, half an hour to closing time and she hadn't spent anytime with her date.

Sarah smiled affectionately to herself as she made her way back to Cowboy. He sure was handsome, and cheeky, and sexy, and a gentlemen, and a really nice guy. She really liked this one, although if she stayed away much longer she might loose him.

The table was crowded and she could see Cowboy making polite conversation with some strange, big boobed woman. Sarah slipped up beside him and wrapped her arms around him. Cowboy grinned and pulled her down onto his knee and into her arms.

"Hey Stranger, who's this?" Sarah looked curiously at the woman.

"This is Amanda; she's hear tonight to bag her self a flyboy." Cowboy had no shame in embarrassing the bimbo's who hung around.

"I hope you told her you were taken?"

"Am I?" He looked at her amused. "Maybe we should talk about that later."

"Good idea. Well, Amanda, how would you like to get yourself a Top Gun Commander?"

"Really? I mean do you think so?" Her whole face lit up and it was all Sarah could do to stop laughing out loud. Amanda reminded her of an eager puppy dog about to be fed a juicy steak.

"As a matter of fact I do that one right there." Sarah pointed out Iceman and Amanda left them alone.

Cowboy buried his face in the back of her neck and hair laughing, "You, girl, are heartless."

"Why?"

"Iceman? She deserves better."

"True but his attitude is so perfect for a Commander, wouldn't you agree?"

"I don't know, shall we dance?" He lifted her off his knee and led her onto the dance floor where he pulled her in close. "So Ms MacKenzie, am I taken?" His cheeky blue eyes locked with hers.

"That all depends." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"On?" He dipped his head and kissed her.

"On whether you want to belong to me?"

"Do you want me to belong to you?" He leant his forehead against hers, the air between them becoming electrified.

"Yes."

"That means for the next nine weeks I'm all yours." He murmured against her lips.

"What about after that?"

"Let's deal with that when it happens, for now we'll enjoy what we have."

"Sounds good," she muttered slightly parting her lips and accepting his in a loving kiss.

"I can highly recommend marriage," Hollywood's cheeky voice broke in on them as he moved Michaela about the floor.

"Shut up Richard," Cowboy muttered, breaking the kiss for a moment.

"I take it you won't be home tonight?"

Cowboy gave his partner a murderous look and Michaela quickly pulled him away before any real trouble started. Needless to say Cowboy didn't come home that night and Iceman went home with Amanda.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

"Morganson, how are you on this particular fine morning?" The guy in the leather jacket and coal miners cap greeted the detective.

"Fine thanks Michael's, have you got more information for me?"

"I have. Our two runaways sailed on the Moratai headed to America. They docked in Hawaii where they received papers changing their identities. Here's the file with all you need to know." Michael's handed Morganson a large sealed yellow envelope.

"I hope the new identities are inside?" Morganson scowled. He hated working with Michaels; the guy was fat and lazy. He slipped the envelope under his arm to be opened later at the hotel.

"Everything you need is in there. How is Ms MacKenzie going with her search?"

"According to our sources, I believe she is doing very well."

"Good, when are you contacting her again? Slats will want to know?"

"It'll be sometime this week, now I must be going; I have some reading to do."

"Lucky you, bye." Michaels walked off leaving Morganson to make his way back to the hotel where he removed the contents of the yellow envelope. For the next twenty minutes he looked through photos and other various paraphernalia relating to the young runaways.

"Yeah, it's me. I think we've got trouble," the guy spoke quietly into the phone receiver. All the time his eyes darted here and there keeping a look out as he had been taught to do. "A lawyer, Sarah MacKenzie, was at the Officers Club last night asking an awful lot of questions about Australians," was all the guy needed to say.

"We'll take care of it, don't worry," the voice on the other end replied.

"Thank you." He hung up and slipped away into the night.

Things were different this time, it was green. Everything was green. Green as the spring. Like the red it was everywhere only this time she could run and run she did. She ran and ran and ran not once stopping until she hit a thick fog. It clawed at her arms and legs like she was wading through a thick soup. It wrapped its cold fingers around her arms and legs trapping her. She started to kick and struggle. It was a dream. It had to be. She tried to scream but no sound came out. She tried and tried, tears pouring down her cheeks.

Michaela tried one last time to scream finally jerking awake in a panic. She kept screaming

Out in the living room several of the trainee's heard the noise. Maverick, Lee, Slider and Cougar were there making breakfast.

"Is that Michaela?" Slider turned to his friend worried.

"Yeah, take over." Hollywood handed him the fry pan full of sizzling eggs and hurried towards their room.

"What's wrong with her? Is she being murdered or something?" Cougar asked as Hollywood scurried past.

"She has nightmares." Hollywood explained reaching the door to their room and slipping inside. He was beside her in an instant pulling her into his arms. "Sssshhhhhh, sssshhhhhh," He stroked the damp hair back from her face.

Michaela's screams dwindled to sobs and she buried her face in his bare shoulder. He was minus a shirt which seemed to becoming a habit of his on a Sunday morning. When her crying stopped he tenderly wiped her eyes with the corner of the sheet.

"Another nightmare?"

Michaela nodded, "Do you think they'll ever stop? I can't remember a time at all when I didn't have them."

"They'll fade eventually and they are getting better, remember when they used to be every night?"

"Sort of, it feels like a thousand years ago."

"Well now they only come once or twice a week, so they are getting better."

There was a knock on the bedroom door and Maverick stuck his head in, "Sorry guys but where do you keep the ketchup?"

"In the cupboard above the stove."

"Ah no wonder we can't find it." He left the room.

"You okay now?"

"Yeah I think so, whose out there?"

"Mavrick, Lee, Slider and Cougar. They're cooking us breakfast."

"That's nice of them." Michaela leaned back against him enjoying the feel of him against her back.

"That's why I let them in." Hollywood laughed quietly running his fingers down her bare arm.

"You mean they broke in like they always do."

"That too." He smiled down at her dropping a gentle kiss on her mouth.

She couldn't help herself and turned to wrap her arms around his neck. He pushed her back gently on the bed without breaking the kiss, his hands sliding up under his old T-Shirt she had slept in. Michaela trembled a bit as his hand moved higher and it stilled when she started to shake.

"You want me to stop?" Hollywood asked looking down at her.

Mutely she shook her head, "No, I-I want….t-to feel," She took a deep breath and looked at him honestly, her fingers exploring the defined muscles of his chest and shoulders. "I want to know what it feels like." Michaela blurted out.

Hollywood smiled down at her, "As long as you're sure."

"I am."

Slowly his hand resumed its travels upwards and she gasped in surprise as he found some very sensitive parts.

"Hey Wood," the bedroom door flew open and Lee stood there, "Where's the soap powder?"

"Soap powder?" Hollywood sat up glaring at his friend while effectively blocking all view of Michaela.

"Yeah, gotta wash Slider's brains out, he's gone stupid." At that moment a pillow slammed into the back of Lee's head.

"Hey!" Lee grabbed the pillow and chased after Slider, there was a crash and splintering glass.

Cougar yelled, "Hey watch it!"

"What did they break?" Michaela asked.

"I have no idea but I'd better go referee or we'll have nothing left. We'll continue this later." He dropped another kiss on her forehead and closed the door behind him on his way out.

She lay back on the bed feeling like the most loved woman in the world. Michaela would have stayed there for hours except there was another crash that brought her out to check on them.


	11. Chapter 11

The court case went very well and Sarah was sure of a victory that would please all those involved. The judge's verdict was announced after lunch and it was entirely as expected. Everyone was pleased none more so than Sarah, now she could head back to the office and catch up on some of the mounting paperwork.

At three her phone rang, it was Morganson asking how she was going with the search for the runaways. She told him she had some leads but nothing that obviously pointed the runaways out. He said he had more information that would help her and arranged to meet the following day.

It was six when she decided to call it a day and go home. She could have easily worked till midnight not really having anything to go home for but decided against it. Since she had met up with Cowboy she had become consciously aware of how empty and lonely her life was.

'Oh stuff it!' She thought to herself and decided there and then to drive out to the base and say hi. She picked up the phone and dialed the number for the unit.

"Hello?" Michaela answered the phone on the third ring.

"Hey Michaela, its Sarah."

"Hey yourself, what's up?"

"Mind if I drop by and say hi?"

"Not at all. Would you like to stay for dinner too?"

"Love too, thank you."

"No problems see you in half an hour."

Sarah sat back with a sigh, relieved she wasn't going home to that big empty house. Not that she hated the house, she loved the house, but there was no one there except herself and she had to admit it was getting very lonely.

Shutting down the computer she stashed some files in her briefcase and turned off the lights. She closed and locked her office door and made her way soundlessly across the thick plush carpet. The main alarm was set and when she pushed the button for the lift the doors opened immediately.

She hit B for Basement and wondered if she should pick something up for desert on her way over to the base. It was then she realized she'd left her mobile in the office and decided to leave it there. A night off wouldn't hurt.

Her lovely black Porsche sat in its spot waiting for her and she admired it. Out of everything she owned the car meant the most of all. Pulling her keys out and unlocking the door she tossed the briefcase onto the passenger's seat and slid inside. As she was closing the door the keys slid out of her fingers and onto the concrete floor of the parking garage.

'Oh bother,' she cursed as she leant out of the car to retrieve them when something caught her eye underneath.

It was a screen with red numbers showing on it. The numbers were counting down and were on 25, 24 ,23….. She froze……..20, 19, 18, 17…….. she had to get out of there……..13, 12, 11, 10…………..where could she run too? How far could she run?...9, 8, 7, 6……………………Would it be far enough away? Would she make it?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

"Michaela?" Hollywood called in his customary tone as he and Cowboy let themselves in after classes that day.

"Kitchen," Michaela called back to them.

"Hi beautiful, something smells good?" Hollywood walked up behind her and dropped a kiss on the back of her neck.

"Rack of lamb, hope you're hungry?"

"Starved, beer or coffee Cowboy?" Hollywood turned to his partner as he slid into a seat at the bench and took his hat off rubbing his head.

"Coffee I think for now."

Hollywood set about making coffee for the two of them.

"Sarah's joining us for dinner; she should be here in about ten."

Cowboy's face lit up in a huge smile. He looked tired, they both did.

"Rough day?"

"Mmmmmm something like that," Cowboy muttered. "I might grab a shower, have I got time?"

"Go right ahead, dinner will be a little while." Michaela told him. He gulped his coffee down and headed for the bathroom. "What time did he come in last night?"

"Two," Hollywood replied, putting his cup of hot coffee aside.

"Ouch." She grinned at Hollywood, "Way too many late nights."

"You could say that, speaking of which, what were trying to do last night, keeping me up past midnight?"

He stood behind her one arm on either side of leaning on the bench effectively trapping her. She tossed the last of the carrots and beans in the pot on the stove and turned in his arms wrapping hers around his neck.

"I told you, I wanted to know what it felt like."

"Are you absolutely sure about this? If you don't think you're ready…….."

"Hollywood stop," Michaela laid her fingers on his lips quietening him. "We've been married ten years now and I think it's about time we did what normal married couples should do."

"Kissing and foreplay not good enough for you anymore?" He asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.

"Yes but when you're kissing me I keep wanting more and-and…….."

"Sssshhhhhhh," it was his turn to lay his fingers against her lips to stop her talking. "You don't have to explain but you need to be really sure about this because once we start there's no going back. Besides my self-control will only take so much, especially when you shimmy out of that pretty little night shirt I bought you, like you did."

Michaela giggled at the memory of the surprise on his face when she had wriggled out of her T-Shirt the night before while sharing a passionate kiss.

"And here I was thinking it was dinner that was steaming the place up," Cowboy grinned at them as he wandered out of the bathroom wrapped in only a towel. The sight of his muscley tanned body and being in Hollywood's arms was all too much for Michaela and she had to turn her back to both of them. Hollywood chuckled quietly in her ear; reading her mind as usual.

"You're a shameless woman Michaela," he pinched her backside and wandered into the bedroom to get changed out of his uniform.

Dinner was ready and Cowboy was anxiously looking at his watch. Sarah was fifteen minutes late.

"Josh relax, she'll be here," Hollywood admonished his friend as they set the table. "She probably got held up; a client may have called late or something. You know how busy she get's."

"Yeah you're probably right but I can't help thinking something's wrong. I might try her mobile and see if she's far away." He put the cutlery down and picked the phone up. He tried the office and then the mobile, no answer on either of them.

"You know she won't answer the phone while she's driving," Michaela told him as she started to dish out dinner.

"Yeah, let's hope that means she's on her way." Cowboy sighed and went back to helping Hollywood set the table. Michaela put Sarah's dinner aside for when she got there.

An hour later Sarah still hadn't arrived and they were getting worried. The boys decided to head out and look for her, leaving Michaela behind in case she rang or showed up.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Across town, Morganson stepped out of the hotel for a stroll to help clear his head. His boss had called previously and wanted to meet with him the next day in LA. This couldn't be good, Morganson thought to himself and his mind ran through endless possibilities of what his boss might want to see him about.

Finally the four walls of the hotel room were too much for him and he had to get out. He needed some fresh air, besides he had to decide how much of the newly acquired information he was going to release to Ms MacKenzie.

It was a warm night and the streets were busy with people out for a good time. Café's were jammed and noise was everywhere. He stopped at some lights and waited for the signal to turn green so he could cross. Finally the green light came on and he stepped off the curb with twenty other people. When he got across the road he decided which way to go from there and opted for the harbor walk, it was completely deserted and the salty breeze coming off the water smelled heavenly. It reminded him of his flat on Bondi Beach back home in Australia.

The walk looked directly onto one of the many naval shipping yards and he stopped to watch a crane loading a plane onto an aircraft carrier. He was ex-army Special Forces so his interest in all things military was strong.

His instincts weren't so sharp anymore making it easy for the fellow in black to sneak up behind him. Suddenly his air supply was cut off as thumb and finger pinched his nose and a hand covered his mouth. He had no time to react as the man in black swiftly snapped his neck. The guy was a professional.

Six months later, Morganson's body was found in a shipping container on board a Singaporean cargo ship.

The young policewoman tipped out the contents of the black purse found at the scene of the bombing. It was days like this she hated her job. There was the normal paraphernalia of a woman's purse, pretty ordinary. Briefly she wondered why someone had wanted to kill the young woman.

She found a leather wallet that probably cost a pretty penny and opened it up. Finally a clue as to who she was and she noted down the license details of one Ms Sarah MacKenzie.

She pulled out the money and loose change, counting it and making a note of how much she carried. There was nothing remarkable there. The detectives assigned to the case had asked her to look for anything unusual.

Next she searched the pockets crossing her fingers they'd find a clue as to who they could contact to let them know of the situation. She found a membership card for the Law Society of America. Well that helped as to why someone wanted to kill her. A piece of paper fluttered to the floor and Cindy picked it up. On the back was a mobile number, no name. She called the number.

Tom hung up the phone and ran his hands down over his face. For two days Sarah had been missing and many people were worried. She wasn't at home, she hadn't come into her office and her car was gone.

One talented Top Gun Trainee was that concerned his training was slipping. His partner and wife had also struck up a friendship with the bratty lawyer and both of them were also concerned. At least he could now tell them what had happened.

Tom sighed. Sarah might have been a real pain in the ass with him but he had missed her annoying ways. She was good at what she did and she was also good at getting under men's skin. Many a time he had watched his men turn to jelly when she beamed that hundred watt smile. So much for big tough pilots, she made mince meat out of them with just one look. He sighed, what a woman.

He reached for the phone and called his wife, Karen, she too was worried being one of Sarah's good friends. The only civilian she allowed herself to socialize with. She was a Commander's wife, she had an image to uphold, he just called her a snob.

Twenty minutes later he had his aide run a message down to the de-briefing room for Lieutenants O'Neil and Symons to report to him when the de-brief was over. They did.

"Come in gentlemen, I have some good news for you." Tom called in answer to their knock on his door.

"Thank you sir." The boys stood to attention in front of their commander's desk.

"At ease, the good news is Sarah has been found. She's in a coma in San Diego General, I'm arranging now to have her transferred to the base hospital."

"What happened sir?"

"Her car was bombed, Sarah was very lucky in that she managed to get clear but the blast did throw her a good ten feet away from the car. She has some head injuries but the doctors are confident she will make a full recovery."

Cowboy released his breath in a huge sigh of relief, "That is good news sir."

"Yes Lieutenant it is, Lieutenant Sanders you may have ten minutes to let your wife know the good news." Tom spoke to Hollywood.

"Thank you sir."

"Dismissed."

The boys left the office, the relief on their faces obvious. Michaela squealed in relief when Hollywood's phone call came through. For days she had been worried about her friend. Michaela was also taken by surprise at how much she had come to like the girl in the short time she had known her. Thank god she had been found.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Sarah was transferred to the base hospital unconscious. On the Thursday she woke up.

Michaela had called in to see her and was sitting beside her bed flicking through a magazine enjoying the peace of the hospital. She was startled to hear a cough and gasping sound and looked up to see her eye's opened.

"Hi Sarah, welcome back." Michaela smiled at her.

"Michaela," She muttered stiffly and tried to move her head. "What a headache. Where am I?"

"You're in the base hospital, Tom had you transferred here."

"He probably hoped they'd kill me," she smiled wryly, trying vainly to joke.

"You almost were do you remember what happened?"

"Water." Michaela helped her take a sip of water from a nearby cup. "I remember getting in the car and dropping my keys, when I reached down to pick them up I saw the bomb underneath, I had 30 seconds to get out of there."

"Well you did but the blast threw you quite a distance."

Sarah nodded as she took another sip of water. "I remember running but after that everything's black."

"I know one Lutennant who's going to be mighty glad to see you."

"He is a sweetie, isn't he? I don't know what I'm going to do when training's over. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Oh I needed some company and thought of you hear all by yourself so here I am. I also have a magazine I wanted to read and what better place to read it than here. I'd better send Cowboy a message you're awake or I'll be in lots of trouble."

Sarah smiled at the mention of Cowboy's name. Michaela sent a text message through to both Hollywood and Cowboy that Sarah was awake and got the answer they'd be right over as soon as class finished.

"So any idea's on who tried to kill you?" Michaela asked casually.

"Not a one. I'm still trying to get my head around that it happened. It was pretty scary." Her voice faltered and she drew a deep shaky breath.

"It's okay Sarah; we don't have to talk about it if you don't want too." Michaela patted her friend's hand as Sarah's eyes rapidly filled with tears.

"I almost died Michaela, someone tried to k-kill m-m-mm-me," She whispered as the tears started. Michaela sat beside her and held her as the shock of what had actually happened hit her.

"Lieutenants, can I have a word before you leave?" Tom called out to Cowboy and Hollywood.

"Sure Sir." Hollywood replied as they gathered their stuff together, classes over for another day. Since Michaela's message had come through Cowboy had fidgeted constantly which only annoyed Hollywood. He knew he was itching to get away and see his girl but while he fidgeted his concentration wandered and Hollywood didn't like that.

They followed Tom into his office and he closed the door behind them.

"Take a seat gentlemen," Tom offered nicely. "The hospital has called and informed me Sarah is awake which is good news. I believe your wife is over there at the moment keeping her company?" Tom turned to Hollywood.

"Yes sir she is."

"Good, I don't want her left alone. I'm organizing a guard for her room-"

"Sir is that necessary?" Cowboy asked in surprise, he hadn't really given much thought to the situation other than preying Sarah would be alright.

"Yes Lieutenant I believe it is necessary. Someone tried to kill her. According to the fire and police reports a bomb was attached beneath her car and was set to go off at a time when she would be in the vehicle. It was also detonated remotely which means someone was watching her and knew precisely when she was in the car. Given this information I think it is highly necessary, wouldn't you agree Lieutenant?" Tom's voice was harsh and Cowboy realized the enormity of the situation.

"Yes Sir, sorry Sir."

"That's alright Lieutenant, what I called you in here for was to see if you would be opposed to housing Ms MacKenzie until they catch the person's responsible for this?"

"That should be fine Sir, I think Michaela would enjoy the company," Hollywood jumped in before Cowboy could destroy the meeting any further. He had duly noted the sudden excited gleam in his partner's eyes.

"Good, dismissed, oh and gentlemen be careful the idiot it still out there."

"Yes Sir," they replied leaving his office and making their way to the hospital.

Cowboy was beside Sarah in an instant kissing her and holding her tight, relieved to see her still alive.

"By god you gave me one hell of a fright girl," he whispered holding her face between his hands and tenderly kissing her.

"I'm sorry?" She asked not sure if it was the appropriate reply.

"It's okay, just don't do it again." He rubbed her nose with his and settled down on the bed right beside her.

"So what did you two learn today?" Michaela asked welcoming Hollywood's kiss.

"Not much, other than Symons here is a fidget." Hollywood smacked his friend lightly over the head.

"Sorry, I was worried."

"Worried my foot, you just didn't want to be there."

"Yeah you're right; I didn't want to be there. I wanted to be right here with this little beauty." He smiled at Sarah giving her another kiss.

"Does anyone know anything about the man who tried to kill me?" Sarah asked.

"No but Tom has put a guard on your room and you'll be living with us on base for awhile." Cowboy answered.

"He's what?! Why?!" Sarah cried annoyed.

"Honey, we don't know who tried to kill you and the device used to blow up the car was detonated remotely so obviously someone is watching you. If you live with us on base you're more secure, the place is heavily patrolled."

"Yeah not even Cowboy can cause trouble." Hollywood teased his friend.

"Cowboy smiled sweetly, "I don't cause trouble, I just organize it."

They all laughed.

"You ready to come home?" Hollywood looked at Michaela.

"Yeah, will you be home for dinner?" She looked at Cowboy who was quite comfortable sitting on the bed beside Sarah with his arm around her.

"Nope."

"I didn't think so, I'll see you tomorrow Sarah."

"Cool, thanks Michaela."

They left them alone with Cowboy grinning like an idiot and Sarah telling him no because she had a headache.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

"Rick?" Michaela asked as we wandered back to the Officers Quarters hand in hand. "You don't think this person is going after Sarah because of-"

"No Michaela I don't. I don't believe that whatever's going on with Sarah has anything to do with that." Hollywood stated firmly.

She nodded, "Okay, I just thought….."

"Beautiful, I know what you thought," Hollywood stopped and put both hands on her shoulders turning her slightly to look at him. "I thought it too at first but now I truly believe it doesn't. Now try to stop worrying." He drew her into his arms and tangled his hands in her hair.

"It'll be okay, okay?"

"Okay," She replied looking at him with a hunger that she had never felt before.

"Michaela?" He spoke quietly, almost breathlessly.

"Yes?" Michaela whispered, waiting.

"Come on let's go home." He took her hand and led her across the base at a much faster pace than before.

They reached their unit to find five trainee's inside. They'd picked the lock, which was nothing unusual, raided the kitchen and were now trying to put the coffee table back together that Slider and Lee had broken the previous weekend. So far one leg was shorter than the other three so they were sawing the others off to level it up or so they told us.

Hollywood looked at them and shook his head, "I need a shower." Was all he said.

"You been feeling up our wife again O'Neil?" Lee called out cheekily.

To Michaela's dismay her cheeks turned a bright red and she headed to the kitchen for a drink of water. She found Slider and Iceman cooking sausages, eggs and tomatos.

"At least I've got a wife to feel up and she's not 'our' wife, she's mine." Hollywood shot back walking into the bathroom and slamming the door. Lee looked at Wolfman most amused.

Michaela stood there for a minute looking at the men scattered around. "Guys, go home."

All five of them looked at her stunned. "Go on, all of you, go home! Come back tomorrow if it makes you happy, tonight Hollywood is all mine so scoot! Take the fry pan with you Slider, now get and that's an order!"

"Yes Ma'am." They replied scrambling to their feet.

"And if the door's locked don't bother coming in or I'll strip you all and super-glue your balls to the wings of your planes! Now out!"

The door of the apartment closed amongst many cheeky comments and laughter at her kicking them out. She strolled over and clicked the locks satisfied with her new found bossiness. Only now came the hard part.

Hollywood relished the feel of the warm water sliding down his body. It had been a long tiring day and Cowboy had been exhausting with his fidgeting. As the water slid down the drain so too did the tension. He didn't hear the bathroom door open or the door to the shower stall as he closed his eyes and rinsed the short hair.

He jumped a mile when Michaela slid her arms around his wet and slippery back. It was the last thing he had been expecting in the shower. His eyes flew open as he turned around quickly.

"Mind if I join you?" She asked nervously. She stood before him, naked, scars and all.

"Not at all." He took her hands and pulled her into the warm spray. She took the soap from him, and maintaining eye contact with him the whole time, started to wash him much to his amusement.

Working slowly so she could feel every inch of him, she marveled at the solid wall of muscle that met her fingertips. Her husband was gorgeous!!

He grabbed her hands, prying the soap from them. "My turn," he whispered and started rubbing the soap over her. Michaela stood there trembling but giggling as he lightly touched her.

As soon as he finished he pulled her in close under the warms spray and kissed her hard. Suddenly she was lifted clean off her feet and pinned against the wall behind. His hands and lips were everywhere and she welcomed his touch.

"Where are the others?" He whispered nipping at her neck, his hand already at work on her breast.

"I threw them out."

Hollywood pulled back and looked at his wife in surprise, "That's not like you."

"Let's just say some things are going to change around here from now on." She smiled delighted with her new found confidence.

"No kidding," Hollywood laughed kissing her. He reached one hand back and shut off the shower. "We're wasting water."

"Who cares." Michaela replied kissing him tenderly and running her tongue teasingly over his lips.

"Girl you are in so much trouble," he mumbled, lifting her higher so he could carry her over his shoulder. He pushed the shower stall door open and carrying her out, grabbing a couple of towels on his way through to the bedroom. Michaela shrieking with giggles. He kicked the bedroom door shut and threw her down on the bed, straddling her, smiling. He started drying her pretty blonde hair.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Michaela sat bolt upright, the room was dark and her heart pounded. Something was wrong and the fear she felt was choking. She tried to scream but couldn't when she heard the noise that had disturbed her sleep and turned her head. Standing in the corner was a man she didn't recognize.

He was covered in black and had night vision goggles on his head. She could see his mouth through the black mask and watched his lips curl in a nasty smile. Desperately she reached across for Hollywood but he wasn't there.

The man advanced towards her on the bed and she quickly rolled to the other side of the bed and got up. She tried to scream but no sound came out, her voice frozen. The man started to reach for her and she ran for the door. He caught her ankle. She fell heavily against the end of the bed. Just as she found her voice and started screaming for Hollywood he placed his hand over her mouth and hissed in a familiar voice for her to shut up. He laughed menacingly.

Michaela bit his hand hard and was rewarded with a yelp of pain. His voice still familiar but she couldn't place where she had heard it.

The stranger held her wrists tightly as he bound them. She knew then exactly what was going to happen and her fighting instincts kicked in as she aimed knees and anything else she could at his crotch. She kicked and kicked and kicked

"Michaela!" The voice was Hollywood's and she came awake shuddering and gasping for breath. She looked straight into Hollywood's worried blue eyes. He had hold of her wrists as she had tried to punch him. When he saw her finally come awake he released his grip with a sigh of relief.

"Thank god," He noticed the trembling of her bottom lip and pulled her into his arms. "Its okay Michaela, it was just another nightmare."

Michaela sobbed like there was no tomorrow while he held her.

"Okay now?" Hollywood asked when her tears started to subside.

She nodded, "I'm sorry if I hurt you?"

He showed her the palm of his hand where she had bitten him and broken the skin. "You were screaming so loudly that even Cowboy came running to see what was wrong. I had to quieten you down somehow or we would have had the whole building in here."

"Oh Hollywood it was horrible."

"They always are." He drew her back down onto the bed, pulling the sheets up to keep them warm.

That was when she noticed she was naked, memories of the early evening flooding her mind.

"Did what happen last night really happen?" Michaela asked starting to carefully explore his taught muscular body with her fingers, yet again.

Hollywood laughed and grabbed her hand kissing each of her fingers in turn, "Yes it did, any regrets?" Mutely she shook my head. "That's good." He leaned down and gave her a long slow lingering kiss, her nightmare fading as she gave her full attention to the feelings he was arousing from deep inside.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

"Laura Mason! Pay attention please!" The teacher yelled at the student staring out the window. It was clearly obvious the teenager's mind was a million miles away. Visible bruises showed around the girl's eyes and cheek raising the teacher's concern. The teacher was new to the school and was not familiar with the girl's background. She made a mental note to talk to her after class.

Laura pulled her attention away from the window and back to the teacher. They had started reading Pride and Prejudice but Laura was at a total loss as to how a book could help her and her sister. It was Melanie's tenth birthday and Laura knew what would happen. Her father would rape her as he had done to her on her tenth birthday.

The bell rang and everyone quickly got to their feet gathering books and filing out the classroom door. Laura stood and keeping her head down, gathered her books together.

"Laura may I have a word please?" Her new English teacher asked. Laura nodded and walked to the front of the room. The teacher indicated for her to have a seat.

"Laura I'm very concerned about you, you don't seem to be with us much these days. Three times today I have caught you staring out the window and that is most unusual."

"Sorry Ms. McCoy," Laura mumbled looking down at the floor. She could see Bryce peering anxiously through the window looking for her. He had obviously gotten off work early.

"Laura is everything alright? At home I mean," the concern evident in her voice.

"Yes Ma'am."

The teacher reached out and lifted the girls chin so she could look at her face, "Do you want to tell me how you got these bruises?"

"It was nothing." Laura was used to being asked about the bruises. On several occasions she had told the teachers her father beat her but no one had done anything about it.

"It doesn't look like nothing, they look very painful and I have noticed your frequent absences, does your father beat you?"

Laura nodded looking over to Bryce for help. That was all the signal he needed and he burst into the classroom.

"Laura you ready for lunch?" Bryce asked well practiced in rescuing his friend.

"And you are?" Ms McCoy turned to Bryce looking him up and down. She took note of the flannel shirt, torn overalls, holy sneakers and a strong smell of fish.

"Bryce Parker, I live across the road from Laura."

Laura stood and nodded, "Yes, I got to go Ma'am sorry." Laura smiled apologetically at the teacher. She liked Ms McCoy.

"Sit down, both of you. Don't worry about lunch I'll organize something for you. For now I'd just like to talk."

"Do you know if Laura's father beats her Bryce?"

"Yes he does."

"Do the authorities know about this?"

"Yes."

"Are they looking into it?"

"No, stuff like this happens all the time in our neighborhood. They don't care. I hear Laura scream and scream but no one comes because no one cares." He spoke viciously.

"Well that's going to stop as of now. After school you will come home with me and you will not return to your father's house, we'll notify the authorities and-"

"He'll have you arrested for kidnapping, he knows his rights." Laura spoke.

"So let him, I'll have him on charges of abuse before the day is out, you mark my words. Now when the last bell goes I want you to come straight to the classroom understand?"

"I can't." Laura turned wide pleading eyes to the teacher.

"Why not? If you're worried about clothes, I have plenty spare you can borrow-"

"Its not that, it's my sister Melanie, she turned ten today. I-I have to be there for her."

"Does your father beat her too?"

"Yes Ma'am. I can't leave her, it's her birthday." Laura turned to the teacher with tears in her eyes and panic evident in her voice.

"Laura what happened on your tenth birthday?"

"I-I can't tell you." Laura gulped and threw herself into Bryce's arms. He held her tightly while she cried. "I have to be there for her." She sobbed.

"Laura do you know what sexual assault is?" Laura nodded. "And is that what your father does? Is that what happened on your tenth birthday and why you're so afraid for your sister?" Again Laura nodded and Bryce looked like he was going to ill. "Laura, is your sister at school today?"

Laura shook her head and choked out a, "No Ma'am."

"I want you to go home, right now and get her. Is your father home?"

"He might be, he had the early shift today." She dashed at her eyes with the back of her hand. Bryce stopped her and wiped them away with his thumb. Ms McCoy was surprised at the amount of tenderness and understanding between the two youngsters.

"Go home and get your sister then come straight back here. Both of you will be coming home with me tonight and you won't be returning to your father's house, not if I have anything to do with it."

Laura nodded and gave a small smile but deep down she knew it wouldn't happen. For one her father would find her just like he had before and two, if her father was home he wouldn't let them out of the house.

"Good, now off you go and I'll see you back here and I'll have some lunch ready for you."

Laura nodded and took Bryce's hand. He led her out of the room.

"Are you really going to go back to the teacher's house?" Bryce asked when they got outside and started walking towards her house.

Laura shrugged, "Maybe."

"I got paid today."

Laura turned to him with a small ray of hope shining in her eyes. She knew better than to get her hopes up but this was Bryce. He was her best friend and he never let her down.

"Do we have enough?" She asked almost afraid of the answer.

Bryce nodded, "We'll go home and you get Melanie and we can hide out in the warehouse till tomorrow morning when the ship leaves. I've seen Tactical and he'll come and get us on board."

Laura nodded quickening her pace.

When she got home, her father had already given Melanie her first present, red lingerie that was obscene for a ten year old. As soon as Laura came in, her father locked the door refusing to let her out, Ms McCoy all forgotten as she tried to get Melanie out of the house. It didn't happen and now it was too late.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Three weeks later Hollywood emerged from our bedroom dressed in uniform. He found Michaela in the kitchen starting breakfast wearing his flight jacket and officer's hat.

It was a normal Wednesday morning and Sarah had been with them a whole week which had been fun. Michaela was enjoying her company enormously and they were getting along like sisters. It was great.

Sarah had closed up the office and did whatever work she could from the unit. If she was required in court the MP's escorted her there and back.

"I know you look incredibly cute in my hat and flight jacket but I do need them back."

"Right now?" Michaela smiled sweetly and started to take the jacket off. He rescued his hat from her and put it on his own head.

At that moment the front door lock's clicked and Maverick and Lee strolled in.

"Definitely not right now," Hollywood gave her an apologetic smile and turned to greet his fellow trainee's. They had two weeks of class left before they graduated.

Michaela threw Hollywood a panicked look as she wasn't dressed and the hideous scarring on her thighs was clearly visible.

"Morning thought we smelled something from down the hall." Lee informed the couple. Michaela automatically got out extra plates. Hollywood took them as her hands were shaking.

"Hey Michaela, that jacket looks great on you, you should wear it more often," Lee set about baiting Hollywood and was rewarded with a glare.

Hollywood leaned in the doorway of the kitchen effectively blocking Michaela from further view, "You guys got any coffee in your place?"

"No, why are you out?"

"Yeap and Symons gets real unfriendly when he doesn't have his morning coffee, not to mention what Sarah's like. Besides if you don't get us some coffee you won't be getting any breakfast, understand?"

"Yes Sir!" They both snapped him one finger salutes and meandered out of the flat.

"Thank you," Michaela smiled at Hollywood and gave him a kiss as she handed breakfast making over to him.

"Just don't go making a habit of it." He called after her slapping her on the bare backside. Michaela gave an indignant squeal and ran for the bedroom as the front door opened and two more fellow trainees's walked in. The place was like a busy road in the mornings.

"I swear we just fed the whole building not our floor." Michaela sank into a chair with coffee and toast.

"I know what you mean," Sarah replied sipping her coffee.

"What do you feel like doing today?"

"Let's go for a swim."

"Sounds good to me."

They tackled the washing up which wasn't too bad. Michaela had trained the boys to rinse their plates which made things easier. Afterwards they walked over to the base pool.

The place was deserted except for a group of women at one end. Sarah and Michaela went right down the deep end away from the people. Michaela was getting quite adept at stripping off the clothes and jumping straight in so no one had a chance to see the scarring. For the next couple of hours they mucked around enjoying the cool water.

"I'll be glad when I can go home." Sarah sighed as a group of teenage boys arrived and settled down across from them. "I don't have to share then."

Michaela giggled, "Are we really that bad company?" She teased her friend.

"Not at all, it's just everyone else who is bad company." Sarah glared in the direction of the teenage boys and groaned. "Now they are checking us out, are you okay with that?"

"It's sometimes nice to know I'm attractive to others but I do prefer men not little boys." They giggled, "I guess it's time to pack it in and go home, we can sun bake on the balcony, is that okay?"

"That's fine, let's go."

Michaela dried herself in record time off and quickly slid into cut off jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

Five minutes later they were back at the unit with towels spread out along the balcony in the warm sun. There was a nice cooling breeze that felt wonderful. They listened to the ever present noise of the jet fighters taking off nearby wondering if any of them belonged to the boys.

The only time they stirred was to get a drink or go to the bathroom.

It was one when the phone rang Michaela got up to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. O'Neil, this is the base hospital. We have your husband, Lieutenant O'Neil, here."

"What?!" Michaela was suddenly scared. "I'll be right there."

She hung the phone up before the person on the other end could explain any further.

"Sarah, Hollywood's in hospital, I've got to go!" She shrieked, wide eyed with panic.

"Michaela calm down. Did they say what the problem was?"

Michaela shook her head looking around wildly for her shoes, her breathing short and fast. Suddenly she felt like the world was coming to an end when two hands pushed her onto a chair and her head pushed between her knees.

"Take a few deep breaths and you'll be fine. He's in good hands and probably giving them huge amounts of trouble." Sarah didn't find out till later just how true that statement was.

Slowly, the giddiness cleared and Michaela was able to sit up feeling calmer.

"Better?" Sarah asked and she nodded in answer. "Good, now how about you get dressed first and then we'll go and see what the problem is?"

"Okay," And once again she pulled on the cut off jeans and one of Hollywood's navy T-Shirt's, forgetting all about the heavy scarring on her wrists and arms.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

The girls reached the hospital and Michaela marched straight up to Reception.

"Where's my husband?" She demanded. It was so unlike her but she was scared.

"And you are?" The Receptionist glared at Michaela.

"Mrs. O'Neil, Lieutenant O'Neil is my husband."

"ID?"

Michaela pulled out the military ID she had to carry everywhere.

"Exam Room one, through the doors, turn left and its right there. One second while I buzz you in."

Sarah and Michaela waited outside the big doors for the nurse to let them in. They quickly spotted the MP guard outside Exam Room One and another one a couple of doors down the hall. Michaela felt her heart sink, what had happened?

Michaela burst into the room to find her husband sitting on a bed, one wrist handcuffed to the rail. His shirt was off and he held a blood soaked towel up to his shoulder. His knuckles were cut and bleedding. Cowboy held another towel to his partner's head.

"Oh god," Michaela ran to him on jelly-like legs, "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine except for this." He tugged hard on the handcuff but it wasn't giving.

"As soon as the other guy's gone they'll take it off." Cowboy stated patiently.

One of Hollywood's eyes was black with heavy bruising and swollen shut.

"You got into a fight didn't you?" Michaela stood there, arms folded across her chest as she took in the evidence. She was not happy and Hollywood looked at her apologetically.

"Yeah you could say that." He looked down sheepishly at the floor, refusing to meet her gaze.

"Richard, you promised me no more violence! You promised!" Michaela yelled upset. They all winced when she called him Richard. She never did that unless she was really upset.

He wanted so badly to reach out to her but couldn't. "I know and I'm sorry but when this guy started saying that I beat you something inside me snapped."

"As if we haven't had enough violence in our lives already, you have to go and do this and what the hell is your CO going to say?"

"Honey its okay, the CO knows what happened. I'm sorry Michaela, but when Jackson told me he was calling the MP's and reporting me for spousal abuse, I couldn't let him get away with it."

Hollywood looked so guilty that Michaela's heart melted. She had to hand it to him, he might have done something wrong but he wasn't proud of it, in fact he was downright ashamed of himself.

"How's the other guy?"

"About the same." Cowboy answered.

"Was it a fellow trainee?"

"Yes."

"Please tell me it wasn't one of our friends?"

"No, it wasn't. He resides in another building. Apparently his brother and sister in law live on base. They have a thirteen year old son who saw you at the pool today and went home and told his mum and it went from there."

Michaela gasped and turned to Sarah clearly upset. Sarah was standing quietly beside Cowboy, "They weren't checking us out they were staring at me!" She cried, tears welling up in my eyes.

"Hey Sergeant?!" Cowboy called to the MP guard outside the door.

The door opened and he stuck his head in, "Sir?"

"Think we can take these handcuffs off now so he can hug his wife?"

"You promise not to leave the room or start yelling and calling people names Sir?"

"Yes," Hollywood sighed.

"Alright then but at the first sign of trouble they go straight back on understand?"

"Yes Sergeant."

With his hand free he reached out to for Michaela and drew her close in against him. She nestled her head into his good shoulder and shed a few tears. Michaela hated violence, she had seen way too much of it. Hollywood felt bad that he had broken his promise to her but the other guy had been asking for it.

At that moment the door opened and a doctor and nurse walked in, "Right let's get you stitched up and on your way. The MP's will escort you back to classes."

Hollywood nodded. He had six stitches in his shoulder and two above his eyebrow. The whole time the nurse was there she looked Michaela up and down, a slight pursing to her lips.

"Right all done, you're free to go and stay away from the other guy." The doctor removed his gloves and left the nurse to clean up. She tried to stick gauze over the shoulder wound but Hollywood wouldn't have a bar of it. He slid his torn and bloodied uniform shirt back on.

While Hollywood dressed she pulled Michaela aside and said, "I have the number of a battered wives shelter for military personnel. If you'd like I can get if for you?"

Michaela was stunned. She'd never get used to the way people automatically assumed she was beaten when they saw the scars.

The nurse looked at the blonde girl in sympathy and Michaela shook her head, momentairily lost for words.

The nurse wheeled her cart out of the room and Michaela followed reefing the door open.

"He doesn't beat me you idiot!" She yelled after the nurse. "If he did we wouldn't be here!" She let the door close and went back to the others who were looking at her in amusement. "What?" Michaela snapped suddenly sagging against Hollywood.

"You want to give us a couple of minutes alone with Michaela?" Hollywood asked his partner.

"Sure, meet you outside." Cowboy slung an arm around Sarah and led her out of the room. We heard his voice as he spoke to the MP, "He'll be right out Sergeant, he just wants a couple of minutes with his wife."

"You promised me there would be no more fighting." Michaela whispered quietly wanting to touch him but afraid too.

"I know and I don't normally do things like this, you know that, but when Jackson threatened to get the MP's and have you taken away from me I couldn't help myself. Michaela I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't of had a good reason. Come on, you know I don't go in for fighting." He reached out and grabbed her by the bottom of her T-Shirt pulling her to him.

"Maybe I should thank you for defending my honor?" She looked up at him.

"No thank me for setting everyone else straight, it happened in the pre-slight room and the whole class witnessed it all."

"Do you have a clean shirt?"

"Yeah there's one in the locker."

"Good and no more fighting."

"Deal," he grinned down at her before lowering his lips in a long, lingering kiss.

"Hollywood, leave the wife alone and let's go," Cowboy's voice broke them apart.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Michaela came out of the Commissary with a shopping bag full of bits and pieces for dinner. It was late afternoon and she decided to stop by the building where Hollywood was training and pick him up. He usually finished up around six depending on the training schedule for the day.

She set off across base flashing a brief smile of acknowledgment at some guy in a grey non-descript suit as he leaned against a car. 'Probably waiting for his wife,' She thought to herself as she set off for the Top Gun Building. It wasn't at all unusual for someone on base not to be in uniform.

Michaela turned a corner and caught sight of her reflection in a building window. The guy in the grey suit was right behind her. 'Is he following me?' She asked herself and decided to quicken her pace. He, too, quickened his pace. She stopped and pretended to look for something, he stopped also. She crossed the road dodging military vehicles, he did the same.

Now she was scared and started to run. She could see the parking lot for the trainee's and Top Gun building ahead. Michaela heard his footsteps behind her and threw the shopping bag down on the sidewalk hoping to slow him up. It didn't.

She reached the glass doors of the building and flung them open, running inside. The young seamen guard on a front counter tried to stop her but she gave him a hell of a shove that landed him on his butt against the wall.

"Hollywood!" Michaela screamed wildly fleeing down the hall way. "Hollywood!"

People appeared from all directions attracted by her screams.

"Where's Lieutenant O'Neil?" She grabbed some guy by his uniform shirt in a near panic. "Top Gun trainee's where are they?"

He pointed down the hall, "You'll need to see his CO Ma'am! You shouldn't be in here!" He yelled after her.

Michaela ignored him and kept running screaming Hollywood's name.

Hollywood looked up from his notes quiet for a minute listening. Something had disturbed his concentration same as everyone else.

"Dear god Michaela!" Hollywood leapt from his seat, jumped over his partner and raced out into the hallway just as Tom came striding up with a stern look on his face. Hollywood could see his frantic wife a couple of doors away.

"Michaela!"

She whipped around so fast, She slipped and her head crashed into the wall. Hair tumbled everywhere hiding the fearful face. Hollywood ran over to her, his CO was right behind him.

"Michaela, are you alright?" He gently took her by the shoulders and lifted her to her feet. She sobbed hysterically and he pulled her into his arms holding her tight, "Sssshhhh it's all over, ssshhhhh you're safe now." He stroked the hair away from her face and held her waiting for the tears to sub-side.

"Take Mrs. O'Neil to my office Lieutenant." His CO ordered.

"Yes Sir." Hollywood gently led Michaela down the hall to his CO's office. "Michaela, what's wrong? What are you doing here?"

"A m-m-man ch-chased me in here. He was following me," She cried.

Hollywood stayed with her while his CO organized for the MP's to search the base

Cowboy joined them in the office fifteen minutes later when classes had finished. The MP's searched the base but found no trace of the man in the grey suit.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twentyone 

It was late when they finished dinner. Cowboy and Sarah had gone out and picked up pizza seeing as the shopping had ended up all over the sidewalk. Michaela sat on the lounge cuddled in close to Hollywood, still shaky and pale but a lot calmer than what she had been.

"I was so scared Hollywood."

"I know Beautiful."

"I just wish I knew who the person was and what he wanted."

"You okay Michaela?" Sarah asked seating herself on the lounge opposite. Cowboy sat down beside her.

She nodded in answer, "I think so, I've never been so scared in my life."

The phone rang then and Hollywood reached out to answer it. His face tightened a little as he listened to the person on the other end. He nodded and assured the caller it was all okay.

He hung up.

"We have to move again don't we?" Michaela looked up at him. She knew that face and knew it well.

"I'm not sure yet, honey, the CO's on his way over here now."

Hollywood cast an apprehensive look over at Sarah and Cowboy, just as there was a knock on the door. Cowboy got up to answer it to find Tom and a strange guy with him. Cowboy let them in growing more and more mystified by the minute.

"Tactical!" Michaela squealed as soon as she saw the stranger. She leapt off the lounge and threw herself into his arms.

"Hello stranger." He grinned and gave her a welcomed hug. "How you been? Is he taking good care of you?"

She looked back at Hollywood smiling affectionately, "The best."

"Good, congratulations Lieutenant on the Top Gun training." Tactical held out his hand and Hollywood shook it warmly.

"Thank you sir." They exchanged warm smiles.

"What's going on?" Sarah looked at Hollywood, Tom, Tactical and Michaela. "My car get's blown up, Michaela almost get's mugged and now you're visiting trainee's?" Her sharp mind was putting things together very quickly.

"Take a seat everyone and I'll explain," Tom said. "Hollywood and Michaela aren't who you think they are-

"Huh?" Cowboy looked at the couple in surprise.

"Michaela and I are runaway's. We left Australia when I was seventeen and Michaela was fifteen. Michaela's real name is Laura Mason and my real name is Bryce Parker."

"You-You're….Oh dear god, the Australian authorities want to arrest you for murder." She looked at her friend wide eyed and shocked.

Tears flooded Michaela's eyes and she swallowed the building lump in her throat. She couldn't speak, she didn't know what to say.

Tom nodded, "Yes Sarah, the US Government has known the truth about their identity for some time now, thanks to Tactical's contacts. However, Bryce, or rather Hollywood, is one of the top Navigator's in this country so the government isn't willing to hand him over to the australians just yet."

"But there's an extradition order on them, they have to go back to Australia to testify and they want Michaela for murder. If she doesn't go back and they find out I was harboring a criminal, I'll be arrested myself." Sarah was caught in conflict and they could all see it.

"Sarah, we already know that and this is why we moved you on base, here they can't get to you, or so we thought. We are still investigating how the AFP guy who followed Michaela got on base. Thanks to Tactical and his team the opportunity to move you here came up a bit sooner than expected when they tried to have you remove."

"You tried to kill me?! You blew up my car?!" Sarah was angry. "That's one hell of a way to send a message! If I hadn't have dropped my keys I'd be dead and where would that leave Hollywood and Michaela?!"

"Ms Harris, I'm truly sorry but at the time you were an unknown quantity and a danger to Hollywood and Michaela. I hope you can accept my apologies. It was one of my team who planted the bomb and tried to blow you up."

"No wonder it was a professional job," Sarah muttered sarcastically while glaring filthily at him. She didn't like him.

"So have I got this right? You are some guy called Bryce Parker and you're Laura Mason who is wanted by Australian Authorities for murder?" Cowboy asked the confusion and frustration clear on his face.

"Cowboy, I am Lieutenant O'Neil, Navigator with the US Navy and this is my wife Ms. Michaela O'Neil, we have the paperwork to prove it. My wife is not a murderer, never has been, never will be. Laura Mason and Bryce Parker died twelve years ago with Laura's sister, Melanie."

Cowboy nodded seeming to accept what his partner had to say.

"You know Melanie's body has been found and that your prints are on the weapon? That's why the Australian Supreme Court has issued the extradition order for you to stand trial?" Sarah stated in her lawyer voice.

Michaela trembled at the mention of her sister's name and looked at Hollywood, who held her hand tightly. His face willed her to say something.

"I didn't kill my sister! My father, Melanie's step-father, did. It was her tenth birthday." Michaela stated in a cold emotionless voice. "I tried to get her out of there but I was too late."

"How did your prints end up on the knife?" Sarah asked in her persistent lawyer way.

"I picked it up off the floor and drove it into the mattress. I wanted my father to know that I knew what he had done."

"Any witnesses?"

"Bryce."

"So why are you two here now?" Cowboy asked Tom and Tactical.

"The man who followed Michaela, earlier today is Greg Michaels, he works with the Australian Federal Police and has received intelligence on Hollywood and Michaela's real identity. I've been tailing him for quite sometime now." Tactical stated.

"But I've been dealing with a guy called Morganson," Sarah said.

"I know, Morganson has disappeared and Michaels took over the case." Tactical answered.

"The thing is now that the AFP know who and where these two are, it's imperative you both remain on this base. As soon as you put one foot outside the gate's you will be extradicted back to Aust-" Tom spoke.

"No!!! I'm not going back there!! Ever!!!" Michaela shrieked, panicked and frightened. Hollywood held her tight as she tried to get up off the lounge. "I did not kill my sister! I tried to save her!! Tell them Hollywood; tell them I didn't do it!!!"

"Honey, I know you didn't do it but I don't think we've got much choice in the matter now." Hollywood said calmly.

"I'm not going back there ever and they can't make me!!!!" Michaela was beyond reason.

"Michaela," Tactical went to put a hand on her shoulder but she shrunk right away from him, "We all knew this day would come and that you'd have to go back-"

"No!!!! I'd rather be dead than go back there!! You hear me I'm not going!" Her eyes held a wild look that the other's found unsettling. She tore away from Hollywood with a strength she never knew she had and ran for the kitchen.

"Michaela!" Hollywood followed her scared.

Michaela had a draw open and was searching through it frantically. He grabbed her hands and pulled her away from it, slamming it shut with his hip. "I'm not going!! I'm not!!" She cried fighting her husband with everything she had.

"Cowboy! Help me hold her down!" Hollywood yelled for his partner who was right behind him coming to do exactly that.

Cowboy ran straight to Hollywood and gave him a hand holding Michaela still, Tactical was right behind him with Tom and Sarah following. Tactical pressed a hand down on her shoulder and she blacked out going limp in Hollywood's arms.

They all breathed a sigh of relief and Hollywood picked her up, carrying her into the bedroom.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter TwentyTwo

"She'll be out for awhile," Tactical said quietly.

"Thank you." Hollywood closed the door to their room and they all sat back down on the lounge.

"What the hell just happened Hollywood?" Cowboy asked astounded by what he had just seen.

"Michaela was trying to get a knife so she could slit her wrists. She said a long time ago, 'the day she had to return to Australia would be the day she died.'"

"Oh boy."

"Yeah, you're telling me because I'd say our time has come to return and testify?"

Sarah nodded, "That's why I was asked to find you. The supreme court is ordering both of you to return."

Hollywood nodded thoughtfully. "So you said," He gave her a half-teasing grin.

"That's why Michaels was following Michaela today, he was hoping to arrest her and you." Tom stated and Tactical nodded.

"And you're here to convince Michaela and I to go back?" Hollywood stated looking at his old friend and mentor.

"You know we might be able to salvage this situation," Sarah commented thoughtfully.

"How?" Cowboy asked.

"I don't really know until I can find out what sort of evidence the prosecutor has but for now Hollywood and Michaela have proof they are who they say they are so technically, Laura Mason and Bryce Parker don't exist, at least not on this navy base."

Tactical nodded thoughtfully. "That'll buy us some time."

"Until they order DNA testing," Sarah stated.

"Yeah but that still gives our two Luitennants time here to finish Top Gun and, if we can get the orders through quick enough, we might be able to move them on." Tom smiled at the thought. "First thing tomorrow, Sarah I want you to meet with Michaels and see what evidence they do have and who's handling the case in Australia. Gleam as much as you can from them."

Sarah nodded, "Of course, but how are we going to convince Michaela to go and testify if it comes to that? She's going to have to be sedated or something."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Tactical is an ex-navy SEAL and rather well versed in handling difficult witnesses." Tom smiled.

"I'll be hanging around for the next couple of weeks to make sure no harm comes to our two runaways, yourself or Luietennant O'Neil. If we have to go to Australia I'll be able to help out with Michaela."

"You are not sleeping in our bedroom!" Hollywood winked at his protector teasingly.

"Trust me, I'll leave the little doll all to you and doss down on the floor out here."

"The US Government knows the full story of Hollywood and Michaela's background?" Cowboy asked indredulously. He couldn't quite get his head around the fact that they knew.

Tom nodded in answer, "Pretty much. When Hollywood first joined the Navy, Tactical put some pressure on them to take him. He showed an aptitude for navigational work so he was pushed through, Basic, Pre-flight, Flight Training and Officer Candidate School. When he qualified to come here to Top Gun some inconsistencies showed up in his paperwork. They tracked down Tactical who, through various contacts, had his file declared classified. We always knew that the Australian Authroities would catch up to them eventually, it was only a question of when."

"It only took them twelve years," Tactical muttered laughing.

"I've always wanted a trip to Australia." Cowboy grinned, "There is no way you guys are leaving me behind."

Tom smiled, "I think we can arrange that. You'll be the insurance that one of out top navigator's is going to come back. The US Government is very reluctant to hand him over so they are making things as difficult as possible for the Australians."

"If he doesn't come back I'll break his neck." Cowboy laughed.

"You'll have to stand in line, I'm first." Tactical added.

They all laughed feeling a whole lot lighter now that they all understood what was going on.

"Tom, when can I go back to my own home or do I have to move in with you and Karen?" Sarah asked.

Tom grimaced and they all laughed again. "I'd rather see you stay on here being so involved in the case and with Tactical on guard, well I'd feel a whole lot better if you stayed."

"Okay with you?" Sarah asked smiling at Cowboy. He dropped a kiss on her lips.

"Definitely."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twentythree

Michaela woke up feeling totally wretched. She had woken twice during the night from nightmares.

"Hey beautiful." Hollywood greeted her kneeling on the bed to kiss her. "How are you feeling?"

"Lousy," She muttered accepting his kiss.

"Tactical's going to be staying with us awhile."

Michaela nodded, "What did he do to me last night?"

"He hit those pressure points he was always talking about, knocked you out cold."

"I don't want to go back." Michaela half-whispered, half-cried.

"I know you don't, sweetheart, and the navy's doing everything it can to keep us here for as long as possible."

"I'm scared Hollywood, I'm very, very scared."

"Honey, I know," Hollywood sat down beside her on the bed. "So am I but let's just take one day at a time and right now we aren't going anywhere. If we do have to go back then I keep thinking let's do it for Melanie and you." He kissed her gently. "Michaela, this maybe our way of holding a lot of people accountable for not giving you the help you kept asking for and with Sarah coming in to bat for us, well who knows how far it will go."

"When you put it like that, I almost want to jump on the plane right now and go sort it all out."

"Honey you're not up to it yet."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Hollywood opened it to find Tactical on the other side.

"Morning Lieutenant." Tactical smiled at him. Hollywood could hear the pride in his voice but his face showed no emotion.

"Morning Sir." Hollywood greeted him.

"How's the doll today?"

"She seems okay."

"Good, coffee's ready if you want some?"

"Thanks."

"Hey Doll, how are you?" Tactical looked at Michaela while Hollywood picked his hat up and wandered out of the bedroom.

"Okay, but no more knocking me out with one of those strange pressure thingy's that you do."

"On one condition, you don't turn into a wild thing like you did last night and try anything dangerous. You're no good to Melanie, if you're dead."

"Yeah alright, save your lectures, Hollywood's already working on those." She glared at him.

Suddenly the front door locks clicked and Tactical instantly tensed, wary, his eyes darting about suspiciously.

"It's okay Tactical, its Cowboy and Hollywood's classmates. There are eight of them altogether here on the floor and for some strange reason they keep coming in here."

"Ah yes the good old housing rules. Pick the locks and you get company."

"Except when the lady of the house bans you from coming in." Lee strolled in and for some weird reason made his way to the bedroom doorway. Cowboy's must have been closed.

Michaela instantly shrunk back down under the covers and yelled, "Go away Lee!"

"And here I was thinking she was going to invite me in. Honey, you don't know what you're missing."

"Lee go get your own wife and leave mine alone." Hollywood pushed both his friends out the door and closed it on them.

He jumped on the bed and straddled his wife peeling back the blankets.

"What?" She asked him annoyed.

"I got to go. Promise me you'll be okay?" She knew what he was asking and sighed. "Michaela, if anything happens to you, well I don't know what I'll do, but let's just say right now I can't live without you and I really don't want to loose you."

Michaela nodded, "Okay, I promise."

"I can't live without you or your support."

"Okay, okay! I'll be good I promise now go do your training."

He leaned down and gave her a long, lingering kiss that had Cowboy pounding on the door yelling at them both to hurry up.

"Morning Ms Harris," Tactical called as Sarah appeared from Cowboy's room. She was dressed in a suit ready to go into the office.

"Morning Tactical, did those two leave us any coffee?" She asked coldly, still not happy about the fact he tried to kill her.

"Just made a fresh pot, would you like some?"

"Yes thank you, Michaela still asleep?"

"No, she's in the shower." Tactical set about getting Sarah's coffee as she brushed her hair and slipped in her favorite hoop earrings.

"So what did happen to them?"

"Her father repeatedly abused both her and her sister-"

"Don't forget to mention using my body as an ashtray, my sister had to live and eat like a dog, oh and there were the cuts when he decided I needed punishing." Michaela interrupted him emerging from the bedroom all dressed.

"Is that what the scarring is from?" Sarah asked and Michaela nodded, "Didn't anyone report this or call in community services? Didn't anyone help you?"

"Bryce and Tactical did. One teacher tried but she was too late." Her face and voice were completely devoid of all emotion. It was like a total stranger was speaking from far away.

"My shoulder was dislocated a number of times." She shrugged like it meant nothing and walked into the kitchen to make some toast.

Sarah continued getting ready for work and drinking her coffee.

"Well I'm off to meet the AFP Dickhead." Sarah stated and Michaela sensed she was anxious to get out of the apartment. "Will you be alright Michaela?"

"She'll be fine, this little doll and I are old friends," Tactical grinned at my back while Sarah threw him another filthy look. "You might need this." Tactical dug into his pocket and pulled out a key, tossing it to Sarah.

She caught it effortlessly, looking at it curiously, "What's this?"

"Key to a new Porsche, it was delivered late last night. I always try to replace what I break."

Sarah laughed warming to him a bit, "Thank you, I appreciate it."

"No problem. Come on doll, you sit yourself down and I'll finish up the toast."

"Michaela?" Sarah stood behind her friend.

Michaela turned and looked at her.

"I'm going to do everything possible to make sure this whole thing goes easily for you okay?" Michaela nodded. "I don't want you to worry about a thing and when I get back we'll sit down and have a long chat."

Michaela half smiled, "Thanks Sarah."

"See you later today."

"Okay."

Sarah looked at the nice, new shiny Porsche, smiling to herself. She badly wanted to take it for a good run but didn't have the time.

That afternoon though, after her meeting, she did have the time and when she returned to the base the car carryed three inches of dust. It had handled very nicely and she was pleased.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twentyfour

"Laura?" Melanie's little voice came from the door and she rolled over to see her eight year old sister standing in the doorway. Melanie clutched a ragged old teddy bear and wore an old threadbare T-Shirt that she slept in. "Are you okay Laura?" Melanie asked in a small terrified voice.

Michaela nodded trying to speak. "Come here," She squeaked and Melanie ran over to the bed. She laid down beside her sister and tried to slip her little arms around her. Hollywood had just left.

"Laura! Help me! Help me, Laura!!!" Melanie's voice screamed, jerking Michaela awake, the little arms gone.

"Hang on Melanie! I'm coming!" Michaela leapt to her feet and ran for the door but hit the wall instead. She knocked herself backwards onto the floor. Something was wrong, everything was different. The door wasn't where it was supposed to be. What was going on? Michaela was confused.

"Laura?" Melanie's calm voice interrupted her confused thoughts.

"Mel?" Michaela sat up looking around the dark familiar room. There was a shadow in the corner, near the mirror, wearing Hollywood's officer's hat.

"This is nice, can I keep it?" Melanie asked.

"You-you're dead?" Michaela rubbed her eyes.

"Yeah, it's great. Nothing can hurt you Laura, nothing!"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," The apparition of Melanie smiled at her and still with Hollywood's hat on, she walked over and sat down beside her big sister on the floor.

"Why?"

"I'm okay Laura, truly I am. I'm happy and everything's is wonderful. I'm not hungry or cold and I can't feel anything. It doesn't even hurt anymore. I-I just wanted to tell you that. Does he look handsome in this?" She nudged Hollywood's hat with a finger.

"Who?"

"Bryce."

"It's Rick now."

"Did you change your name too?"

"Yes," I nodded, my mouth dry.

"What is it?"

"Michaela."

"Pretty."

"Melanie why are you here? And yes he does look very handsome in it."

"He would, he was always cute and I was so jealous of you."

"You were only little, what did you know about it?"

Melanie chuckled and changed the subject, "They found my body, did you know?"

"Yes the Australian Authorities are looking for me, they think I killed you."

"I know. Laura, you have to go back."

"No."

"You have too, you have to tell our story. Tell them what really happened. Tell them Laura! Tell them!"

"I can't!" Michaela screamed back at her.

"Make them pay Laura, make them all pay!"

"But…."

"Don't be afraid Laura, Bryce will be there and he'll keep you safe and so will I. You have to do it, if not for me but yourself."

"Myself?"

"Yes yourself-"

"When did you get all grown up and wise?"

"The first time Dad hit me, I suppose. But Laura, you have to do this otherwise you'll never be able to love Bryce the way he loves you."

"The way he loves me? What are you talking about?"

"You haven't noticed the way he looks at you, the way he takes care of you? He loves you like a real person should. If you don't go back and put that asshole away you'll never be free to love Bryce and he deserves to be loved."

"But Mel, they'll put me in jail! They think I murdered you!"

"You didn't but you have to tell them that. You have to make them see they are wrong. You can do it Laura, I know you can. You are so strong Laura, look at all the times you tried to attack Dad after he'd laid into me? Laura, I know you can do it, besides I'm counting on you. If you don't do it for me then at least do it for the baby." Melanie started to fade away.

"Baby? What baby?! What are you talking about?"

"The baby you are carrying, Bryce's baby, bye Laura."

"Wati! Where are you going?"

"I have to go now and I'm keeping the hat!" Melanie winked at her and vanished, hat and all.

"Melanie? Melanie!" Michaela started screaming her name over and over.

Suddenly she jerked awake, sweating but sitting on the cold floor.

"Sssshhhhh, it's okay, I'm here, sssshhhhhh." Hollywood slid to his knee's beside her and pulled her into his arms.

Michaela looked at him, tears trickling down her face. "It was Melanie, she was here."

"Honey it was a nightmare."

"No, no it wasn't. This time it was different. She told me I had to go back and set things straight. She was okay Hollywood, she was happy."

"I'd be happy too if I couldn't feel anything." Hollywood joked gently lifting her up off the floor and guiding me back to bed.

"No you don't understand-"

"Sweetheart, I do understand, believe me I do." Hollywood's blue eyes looked straight at her and suddenly she knew that he did understand.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter TwentyFive

"So what happened to your family Hollywood?" Cowboy asked downing his scotch.

"It was pretty normal up until Dad died. He was a coal miner and was killed during a cave-in. The strange thing was he was one of the rescuer's not one of the trapped. Mum said a big rock fell down and hit him on the head." Hollywood replied sipping his own drink. It was three in the morning and they were out on the balcony of the unit. Both relaxed in the outdoor chairs with feet up on the rail.

"How old were you?"

"Four, I don't remember too much about Dad. Mum came from a big family, I think there was eleven altogether. They didn't like Dad, reckoned he put on airs and graces and considered himself to be better than they were. Her family refused to accept him. When they married Mum severed all contact with her family. She never spoke to any of them again."

Sarah and Michaela carried out a tray full of late night snacks to nibble on. Hollywood dropped his feet down so his wife could sit on his knee, the satin of her dress rustling with the movement. They had just returned from the Top Gun graduation ball and were wide awake.

"Was she close to any of her brothers and sisters?"

"Only one, George, he was an older brother but I don't know anything about him, never met him either. After Dad died we moved from place to place living with friends. Mum was getting enough welfare so she didn't have to work at all. When I was eight, she brought home the first of many boyfriends she had found at the pub. Mum only went out once a week, on a Sunday afternoon, but this guy convinced her to go more and more often. Pretty soon she was living at the pub and I was looking after myself. The only time she came home was if one of her boyfriends brought her or I walked down and picked her up out of the gutter."

The boys had undone the buttons on their dress uniform jackets as the high collar tended to choke them. They had looked incredibly handsome in the full dress uniform with gleaming swords swinging by their sides and every brass button polished to a mirror finish.

"How did you meet Michaela?"

Michaela lay back against Hollywood's shoulder and let him run his finger's up and down her arm as she listened to the conversation. Sarah sat beside Cowboy quietly munching on a chip.

"I was twelve when we got a house across the road in a run-down area of town. Michaela lived across the road. One day I followed her and her sister to school. She was one of the most fascinating creatures I had ever seen and I was curious about her. She had those big blue eyes of hers but they looked so haunted and I-"

"I did not have haunted eyes." Michaela interrupted him.

"Oh yes you did," he muttered continuing the conversation. "It was almost as if I could feel her pain even though I didn't know her. One night I went across the road to the block of units where she lived. I don't know why I did, probably bored or something, and started looking in the windows of the downstairs flat. One was a bedroom and it was totally trashed. I looked in and Laura was there with her father. When he left her room, she looked out the window in so much despair that I couldn't let her suffer alone and climbed in. I sat there for an hour, just holding her, letting her cry and from that day on the rest was history."

"What did your father do? Aside from the beatings etc?" Sarah asked as she topped up Cowboy's tumbler of scotch. She looked great in a strapless black velvet gown studded with diamantes, that had earn't her a lot of admiring looks. At one stage during the night Cowboy kidded that she was trying to upstage him.

"Do you want to answer?" Hollywood asked Michaela. She shook her head. Hollywood leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He had seen it happen that many times he swore it was a permanent part of his brain. "He'd bind her by the wrists with string, so if she struggled it cut in deep, tied her hands to the bed rail and rape her. Afterwards he'd take all her blankets leaving her with only the bottom sheet. The first time I saw it happen, I made up my mind then and there that I would take her and Melanie away from it all."

"How were you going to do that?" Cowboy asked quietly, the mood was slightly somber from the horrid situation Hollywood was describing.

"I left school as soon as I turned fourteen. There was work going on the fishing trawlers at night and the pay was pretty good so I signed on and started working a forty hour week. When Laura was at school I'd sleepp. Mum was never there so she didn't care, although she'd steal my pay and drink it away. It was a really tough time for Laura because I was no longer there to comfort her afterwards but knowing there was an end in sight, I think, helped you to keep going?"

"Yeah, just knowing that someone had a plan to get me away gave me a strength to go on. Some nights were harder than other's and quite often I'd want to see him so I'd sit up all night at the window and wait for him to come home. We had this signal that if I needed him I was to hang a yellow piece of cloth outside the window. Most of the time he'd show up and I'd be asleep so he'd have to pick me up and put me to bed." Hollywood's finger's toyed with a few loose strands of her hair and gently kissed her temple.

"I was pretty good at climbing in and out that window of yours," Hollywood smiled affectionately before leaning down and kissing her properly.

"True." Michaela grinned and rested her head on his chest toying with a brass button on his uniform. Hollywood had found her a gorgeous long sleeve gown in a silvery purple that set the yellowy blonde hair off. The long sleedves were made of lace and hid the scarring beautifully. For the first time in her life she felt like a princess.

"Did you have a plan when you were going to leave?"

"We had to go before Melanie turned ten. That was the age her father started sexually assaulting her. We had enough money the week before Melanie's birthday but Mum stole it so we had to wait another week. The night of Melanie's tenth birthday we were ready but he locked them in the house and Laura couldn't get her or her sister out in time."

"Did you ever want to kill the man?" Cowboy asked seriously.

"All the time but I was no good to Laura if I was in jail for murder. The anger I felt watching what he did to her was pretty powerful stuff and I pray to god I never feel anything like it ever again. Had he have caught me or provoked me in anyway I would not have been able to hold back. We were just lucky he never found out about me or neither of us would be here today."

"How'd you meet Tactical?" Sarah asked. They had given him the night off from the guard duty and he was out with some old friends from the SEAL's.

"Down on the docks you got to know a lot of the cargo ships that came in. You'd chat to the crews and they'd get to know you too. Tactical was working one of the ships that came in quite regularly. Whenever he was around he'd take me out and buy me a meal or a jacket or something that I needed. Eventually I started trusting him and told him what was happening. He hates child molesters and abusers so he was more than happy to help us get away. He arranged passage for us on the ship he was on and used his contacts to get us new identities. I'm pretty sure he and Captain of the ship had worked together because he helped us as well. They didn't want us to pay them anything but I insisted. Any other ship we would have had to pay so it was only fair. While we were on board I crewed for them and Laura cooked. It was on that ship I saw Michaela smile for the first time and I can't even begin to describe how good that felt." Hollywood looked down at his wife lovingly and gave her a hug while she smiled just for him."

Cowboy nodded thoughtfully, "So you aren't a murderer either?" He asked with a teasing glint in his eyes.

Hollywood smiled, "Niether of us are Josh." Cowboy smiled conspiratorily and leaned over to fill his partner's scotch glass.

"So what happened when you reached the states?" Sarah asked curiously.

"Michaela and I lived with Tactical and his wife Sam for awhile. Michaela stayed with them until she was eighteen but I left when I was seventeen for basic training. Tactical had got me into the navy and that's when they found I had an aptitude for Math's and navigation. Both of us took our mother's maiden names as a reminder of the people who had once cared. Laura chose Michaela after some story book figure that Melanie loved. I chose Richard after my father. As soon as Michaela turned eighteen I married her and took her away with me. If I was out on ship, Michaela often stayed with Tactical and Sam but as she got her confidence back she'd stay on her own somewhere."

"Did you have any crazy kind of hangups?" Cowboy asked.

"A few," Michaela answered. "It took years to convince me to sleep in a bed and I'd have to have lot's of light at night, I drove you mad didn't I?" Hollywood nodded, sipping his drink and smiling at the memory. "I used his T-Shirts for something to sleep in, most unattractive thing I could find, and Hollywood decided I should have something nice. He and Samantha bought me a simple nightdress and I hacked it up with the scissors and tried to feed it to the garbage disposal. Oh and any balls of string I found I'd cut up into short lengths or wrap them around door handles." She giggled at the memory of Hollywood, Tactical and Sam going stir-crazy with all these bits of string tied around door handles.

"Yeah, I was so mad about the nightdress after going to all that effort and she freaked right out over it."

"You were mad?" Michaela looked at him in surprise.

"Yeap, Sam and I had spent all day looking for that darn thing, it had to be just right or you wouldn't wear it. When Sam told me what you had done-"

"You went for a walk and didn't come back till midnight?" She remembered. "I was so scared you had gone for good and weren't coming back."

"I couldn't let you know I was mad at you, you'd seen enough anger already."

"You are so sweet." Michaela replied, taking his face between her hands and kissing him.

"What were you like emotionally?" Sarah asked again.

"I think Hollywood would describe me as a Roller Coaster on speed?"

Hollywood laughed, "That would be an understatement but you got better when Tact got you under that Shrink. Although we had to drag you there kicking and screaming-"

"You did not!" She cried indignantly.

Hollywood gave her a look that said a whole lot different.

"How'd you get her there?" Cowboy asked watching a rather proud expression cross Michaela's face.

"They tricked me." She answered simply.

"Tactical had her in seeing one of his friends who was a SEAL Shrink. She was under him for four years and it really helped. He couldn't do anything about your temper though, unfortunately." Michaela glared at him. "We still have problems with crowds and men looking at her don't we?" She nodded. "The nightmares aren't much fun either as you've heard. She makes enough noise to wake the dead, but she's a lot better than what she could have been."

"So what was it that made you continue staying together?" Sarah asked.

"We talked one night and both of us agreed we weren't in any fit state to date normal people. Everything she went through I went through too. To just put all that behind me and date someone who had no idea or understanding of what I'd seen was asking for trouble. Michaela on her own can be a handful," She poked my tongue out at him for that comment. "And to inflict her and her nightmares on some poor unsuspecting soul was crazy so we made a pact with each other. If I married her she'd stay with me forever and if she married me I'd look after her until the day she died. She's not a murderer, she was surviving as best she could."

"We know," Sarah answered reassuringly.

Cowboy filled his and Hollywood's glasses up with more scotch. They were both pleasantly drunk.

"Hollywood?" Michaela looked up at him.

"Mmmmm?" He replied taking a sip of his drink.

"I want to go back and testify."

Hollywood choked on his drink looking at her in surprise. "When did you decide this?"

"The other night when I said I saw Melanie. She told me I had to go back and do it. I've been thinking it over and she's right. I can't move on with my life until I put the old one behind me. Besides I have nothing to hide, I didn't kill her, my father did."

"Honey are you absolutely sure about this?"

"Yes, its time for justice, I think, and Sarah would you represent me?"

"Of course."

Hollywood sighed and looked off into the distance at the lights of the base. "I guess I'd better talk to Tom on Monday and make arrangements."

Michaela nodded and plucked the scotch from his hands and took a long sip. He had never known her to drink as if terrified her, but he didn't say anything as he watched her down his drink. That was when he knew she was more than ready to go back and tell everyone what had happened.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twentysix

Five years later…..

It was late afternoon when Michaela found Hollywood out on the balcony looking over the small backyard and sparkling pool below. She came up behind him and slid her arms around his waist. "Hello handsome," She murmured quietly, trying not to disturb the peace of the afternoon.

Below them in the pool, Hollywood's cousin, Amanda played with their four year old son, Ricky.

"How was the shopping trip?" Hollywood asked reaching behind him and pulling her around so that she stood in front of him. He lowered his mouth to hers in a long lingering kiss.

"A lot of fun, your cousin has a really good sense of style when it comes to clothing."

"Buy anything sexy?" He grinned at her wickedly and was rewarded with a smack for his cheekiness.

"Not telling." She giggled.

"You did."

"How do you know?"

"You would have said no straight out if you didn't."

"You Captain, are just too darn smart for your own good and you're right I did but you are not seeing that until much, much later. What are you thinking about?" She noticed the quiet thoughtful expression on his face.

"I was thinking how lucky I am to have a beautiful wife, gorgeous son, fabulous friends and now a family."

"How would you like to add another daughter or son to that?" Michaela asked trying hard to be casual.

"You aren't are you?" His eyes started to shine in excitement.

"Yes I am." She smiled broadly. Hollywood let out a huge yell and swept her off her feet in a twirl. "Hey Amanda?!" He yelled down to his cousin in the pool.

Amanda looked up at them for a minute.

"We're having a baby!"

"Woohoo! Congratulations!"

"Thanks!" Hollywood looked back at Michaela. "Are you really?"

"Yes I am really and your aunt and uncle want me to stay with them and have the baby here, what do you think?"

"Nine months is a hell of a long time so how about we wait until we get closer to the birth?"

"Its not nine months it's six months, I'm a lot further along than what we think. That's why the stomach has a bit more of a swell to it than normal."

"And here I was thinking you were putting on weight," He gave her another cheeky grin that earn't him a second smack.

"You know what?" Michaela looked at him.

"What?"

"That water's looking rather inviting shall we join them?"

"Why not, go get changed." He smacked her lightly on the backside as she went back into their room.

Michaela changed and grabbed a towel. She found him standing up on the balcony rail in the shorts he swam in.

"Hollywood, what are you doing?" She asked suddenly getting worried. The pool was directly below them.

"Going for a swim, do you mind bringing a towel for me when you come down?"

"Please tell me you aren't thinking about jumping from there? The pool's not deep enough for that, is it?"

"I don't know but we're about to find out." He leapt off the balcony rail and two or three seconds later landed in the water below. Michaela screamed and ran to the rail watching him fall. When he surfaced, Amanda laughed, called him an idiot and splashed him. He gave Michaela a wave and set about annoying his cousin and son.

'Bludy pilots!!' Michaela cursed him as she picked up his discarded clothing and went inside to get him a towel.

"Do you know what that idiot of mine just did?" Michaela asked Sally, another cousin, as she walked into her room next to their's.

"Tell me?" She had just finished putting away her purchases from earlier that day and was slipping into her own cozy.

"Leapt off the balcony rail into the pool below right after I told him I was pregnant. I swear I'm going to die of heart failure from his antics rather than old age."

Sally laughed, "Come on, I need some cooling off and you can beat him up for his insenetivity."

"Right behind you." Michaela answered. She followed Sally to the stairs where they met Jenny, another one of Hollywood's cousins. She too had the same thing in mind as the other girls, a refreshing swim.

George O'Neil, Hollywood's uncle, had found his nephew when the couple had returned to Australia for the court case. He and his wife, Lily, were eager to meet Lisa's boy and had been searching for him for quite some time.

It had been a surprise to a lot of people that George had known of Hollywood's existence. George and Lisa's parent's had died a year after Hollywood and Michaela left the country. When his mother, Lisa, died of schelrosis of the liver, George learnt of his nephew's existence and Lisa urged her brother to find him.

George engaged the services of a private investigator but got nowhere until he was reading the paper three years ago. There was a short piece on the court case. George was a lawyer himself so extracting information on his mysterious nephew was easy, all he had to do was get to know the case. After much investigating the name Richard O'Neil appeared and George was sure he had found his nephew.

George attended the court case every day and when Hollywood gave his evidence, George knew he had found his nephew. He waited until the case was over before approaching the couple and inviting them home to meet the rest of the family. They had a large well appointed house in the suburbs of Melbourne.

Hollywood met his Aunt Lily and four cousins Jenny, Amanda, Scott and Sally. They were lovely people and Hollywood and Michaela spent some time with them after the court case.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twentyseven

That night Hollywood, and Michaela mucked around in the pool. It was a warm January night. Rick was in bed asleep and George and Lily were out at a friends place. The cousins had also gone out. They had the place to themselves and it was peaceful. One more day and they'd be heading back to Hawaii.

Sarah and Cowboy had split up not long after the court case and Hollywood had been transferred. Cowboy stayed in Miramar as an instructor while Hollywood moved on to test piloting the FA-18 in Hawaii. They'd been there a year so far.

Rick was the baby Melanie had told Michaela she was carrying on that strange night. They never did find Hollywood's hat and he had to get a new one.

Michaela's nightmares were fading fast and she was getting a lot better in crowds provided she was with someone she knew. She still would not go up to a bar by herself to order a drink.

"One more day and it'll be back to just the two of us," Hollywood murmured in his wife's ear kissing it.

"Looks that way," Michaela smiled in the dark enjoying the intimacy of the moment. Hollywood sat behind her on a sun lounger while she lazily rested her head against his bare chest.

"Happy?" He whispered, nipping her ear lobe and starting to make a general nuisance of himself.

"Yes, very much so."

"No regrets about marrying me all those years ago?"

"No, should there be?"

"I hope not." He smiled and moved onto the side of her neck.

"What's going on Hollywood?" She leaned back looking up at him in the dark. He leaned down and sneaked a gentle kiss that was dammed hard to stop.

"Why do you ask?" They broke apart, their breathing ragged.

"Your questions are a little unusual for you, that's all. Rather sappy and you are not a sappy kind of guy."

Hollywood laughed, "Who says?"

"Okay, let's just say it's very unusual for you to ask such questions."

Hollywood sighed and looked out over the water for a couple of minutes before looking back at his wife with a smile. "I was thinking we should get married again?"

"Again? Really?"

"Yes, really."

"How about renewing our vows?" She asked.

Hollywood nodded thoughtfully, "That would be good, we could have a party and all then."

"Hollywood what's the matter?"

"Michaela when we got married it was for the purpose of staying together because we knew we wouldn't be emotionally fit to love anyone else. It also made things easier with the navy and housing but I've always regretted that we didn't have the full affair. The church, family, flowers, a honeymoon." He winked cheekily at her.

"Well we didn't do all that because of cost and not knowing anyone."

"Ah but we do now. There's all our friends we left behind in Miramar and I now have aunts, uncles and cousins."

She nodded, "Yes?"

"Well I want to get married again because-" Hollywood hesitated, "I've fallen in love with you Michaela."

"You have?"

"Yes and I want for us to have a real marriage with love and children etc."

"We already do."

"I know only thing is maybe this time it would be different.

"Different? Why?"

"Well for starters, how do you feel about me? Do you love me?"

"I don't know, I've never thought about it, I've never had to before. I admire you and you're my best friend. I know I can trust you with my life and we are really good together. I can't imagine life without you and I'm always proud of the fact that I belong to you-"

"Michaela, how do you feel?"

"I don't know." She looked down at her feet feeling awful because she couldn't give him the answer he wanted.

"When you first of all see me, whether in the morning or when I come home, how do you feel? Does your heart skip a beat and you go all tingly?"

"Kind of," She nodded thoughtfully.

"And when I do things like this, do you feel like we are the only two people on this earth? When I kiss you do you find it hard to concentrate on anything but me?"

"Yes and yes."

"And if I died tomorrow could you go on living without me?"

She was quiet for a minute while she thought about what he had said, "No, I-I don't think I'd survive without you."

"Sure you would," He smiled at her, kissing her again and pushing a few strands of hair off her face.

"And did you feel like this all those years ago when you married me the first time?"

"No, why?"

"Michaela, your feelings for me have also changed and I think somewhere along the way we have fallen in love with each other."

She nodded thoughtfully. It didn't take long for her to realize that her feelings for him had changed.

"That's why I want to get married properly." Hollywood laughed pushing the string of her bikini top aside and kissing each one of the twenty three scars on the top of her shoulder.

"Okay, when?"

"I thought we could get married here first and then work on tracking our friends down for a bit of a party?"

"Sounds nice." She turned and looked at him for a second before throwing her arms around him in a huge hug. "I do love you, I just never knew it."

He gave her a smile that was bigger than the pool, "Me too, my love, me too."

Three months later they returned to Melbourne and renewed their vows with his family. They spent two weeks in Tasmania and had a real honeymoon before returning to Hawaii.

They never had a chance to track down their old friends from Top Gun training as he and Michaela were involved in a nasty car accident. Michaela suffered the most as she lost the baby in an emergency hysterectomy.

Hollywood was once again by her side helping her through it all, clearly devoted to each other. Six months later they saw the add in the Navy Courier about a reunion at Top Gun.


End file.
